Try Until You Can't
by Carousel Rider
Summary: Agent Black has a really good memory, possibly photographic. It was what helped her get the job at SHIELD, even if it was just data entry. Except she enjoys that work, just as much as she enjoys the company of the agency's top archer. And when her past comes back while on a mission in the field, she has to learn to cope with more than Clint flirting with her. Clint/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note**: Whooo boy. This is my first Avenger fic ever that I'm publishing ever. And I'm nervous! Anyways. This is MCU based for the most part, as that is what I know most about. I wrote another story for another fandom a few years ago and one thing I was told was that I made the story go by too fast, so with this one, I tried to keep it slow. I actually have 10 chapters written, and I tried to keep it at a steady pace for the most part.

This takes place about three months before the first Avengers film. It's Clint/OFC and even Natasha/OFC. And while writing this, I watched a lot of Parks and Recreation, so some of the humor might follow that, I'm not sure. I hope y'all like it for the most part, and I'd love comments or even nicely put constructive criticism.

Anyways. Here we go.

~

**Try Until You Can't**

**Chapter One**

Agent Remy Black slowly typed away at her computer, glancing every so often at the piece of paper she was copying. Whenever she paused, her office mate, Agent Mara Davis, would also stop typing, to which Remy would start back up again, a grin on her face. She knew Mara would yell at her if she even stopped to crack her knuckles or sip her coffee, so Remy enjoyed this game of pausing for a few seconds before starting back up again. It drove her office mate absolutely crazy, but it was one of the only ways Remy could get entertainment in this windowless room.

After two hours of Remy pausing every five or more seconds, Mara huffed angrily and spun around in her chair to face the younger agent. "Agent Black, if you don't st-"

"Hm? I can't hear you over my typing, Agent Davis." Remy teased as she typed away. She could hear Mara huff angrily again as she returned to her work. Grinning, Remy work for over 20 minutes without pauses until she finished the form. After saving the document, she picked up another form and did a quick survey of the room. There was still several dozen boxes to go through. Why Fury decided now was a good time to start electronically archiving old documents and not back when SHIELD started to fully use computers, Remy wasn't sure, but she was pretty happy to do it. This was the kind of work Remy enjoyed – repetitive, data entry type work.

Mara, however, was not happy. She fussed about it to the director, to Agent Hill, and to any one who listened. She didn't understand why she was stuck in the office working with Remy when she could be doing other things. Remy didn't complain, as she enjoyed data entry work like this. Mara was pretty sure her office mate was crazy.

As Remy typed up the new form, she began her game again. This time, her pauses would be longer than a few seconds, often going onto 10 seconds or more. Every time she heard the chair swivel, Remy would start typing again.

Finally after another hour of this, Mara finally stood up from her desk and marched over to her. "Young lady, if you do not stop this-"

"Stop what? Working?" Remy asked, looking innocent as she finished entering another form. She didn't dare look at the older agent due to the fear that Remy would burst into laughter from the whole thing. Mara glared at her and returned to her desk. Remy sighed loudly and pulled her phone out, taking a quick break to check something before she returned to her work.

They had been at this only for a week. Remy could sense the other agent was getting to her breaking point of working in close quarters with her. She couldn't help it. Remy enjoyed putting a little bit of fun into her work life at SHIELD. Before being marooned to this office, she was often swapping terrible jokes with Coulson whenever he was around, or asking Clint Barton to hit targets with rubber bands (she owed him about $20 in winnings at this point). And now that she had an office mate, she couldn't resist having a bit of fun, even though Mara was pretty close to murdering her.

Remy finished another form and set it aside. She stretched out and spun around in her chair to face Mara, who was doing her best to ignore Remy. "So. We still got like, four dozen boxes to go through. How many sheets of paper do you think that is?"

"I have nightmares thinking about it." Mara grumbled as she finished one form. "If we stop talking and keep working, we will be done before the date the director gave us." It was a hint, that much Remy could tell, but it wasn't threatening or anything for once. "So put your phone away or whatever it is that keeps distracting you and get back to work. I don't want to be here forever doing this."

"Yea, true." Remy sighed as she spun back to face her computer. "I mean, we could keep working. We only have four dozen boxes. God, think of how many trees were destroyed for these forms."

"Make it 10 dozen." A voice said. Both women looked up, faces expressionless as Agent Clint Barton walked in with a hand truck holding six boxes. When they saw the boxes, Mara looked murderous while Remy grinned. "Boxes, that is. Not 10 dozen trees."

"More boxes?" She asked excitedly, bouncing a bit in her seat. Clint rolled his eyes at her excitement. "This is as good as a marriage proposal, Agent Barton."

"Try to contain your excitement, you nerd." He replied, his tone teasing as he began to unload the six he had. "There's more agents with more hand trucks that have more boxes. These were discovered in another location's basement in New York, so Fury wanted them sent straight to you so you both could start entering in the data."

"When does he expect this to be completed then? By next year?!" Mara demanded, glaring at Clint. He felt a little intimidated by her glare and made sure to keep a stack of boxes between them. "And why does he want all of this entered now? This is ridiculous – he needs to realize this is not the way to go about this type of work!"

"I don't know, I'm assuming in the next few months?" Clint replied as he took a step back towards the door. "Try asking Fury. I'm just here to help deliver the goods, not give answers." He turned his attention to Remy. "Hey, you still owe me twenty bucks."

Remy sighed dramatically. "I knowwww. I just lost twenty betting on my team winning a match last Saturday. We lost, so I lost the twenty I would have given you."

"I mean, if you wanna throw another twenty in, I'll let you watch me fire rubber bands at Hill next time we have a meeting..." Clint said with a shrug. Remy grinned. "That is, if you're free during that time. She seems to like you, so she would welcome having you in the meeting. Me? She keeps her eyes on me because she knows I'm up to no good."

"Well, you are always fun to watch in action. And Agent Hill is always enjoyable during meetings." She replied, leaning back into her seat. "Though you lose that twenty if she notices you and puts you on desk duty. Oh, and you throw in buying me a drink next time we go out."

Clint mulled it over for a moment before nodding. "Sounds good to me. Another twenty if I win, and if I fail, I give you back the twenty and buy you a drink." He repeated as he grabbed hold of the hand truck. "I'll let the rest of the guys in. Ladies, I will see you later." And with that, he bowed out and left, leaving the two alone.

And he was right about the boxes. Hand truck after hand truck came in, agents delivering boxes upon boxes. It wasn't long until there was a fortress of them, which Remy was certain would crumble and cover them both in papers. The boxes were stacked eight high and were pushed against the walls, barely leaving any room for them to escape the office if needed. It was ridiculous how many were now in there, and Remy was starting to wonder if Fury had some devious plan to barricade them in there.

"This doesn't seem safe." Remy grumbled as she took to re-stacking all the boxes. Mara kept to her seat, watching the younger agent work. "God, it's like that Poe story, _The Cask of Amontillado_." Remy started making a new stack of boxes, trying to lessen the chance of death by falling boxes. "'_The__thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge._' Seriously, we are Fortunato in this scenerio and Fury is the one hiding us behind the wall."

"Well, that was fun to watch." The older woman said, eyebrow raised as she surveyed Remy, who turned to look at the older agent. "The tension between you and Agent Barton, not the creepy quoting of Poe."

"Tension?" Remy repeated, frowning as she made sure the boxes wouldn't fall. "Agent Barton and I are on good terms, there was no tension." She paused. "But yes, Poe is creepy. Especially _The Cask of Amontillado_. Ever read it? It's bizarre."

"Oh, honey, stop talking about Poe and talk about Barton." Replied Mara as she got up to help her. "There was so much sexual tension between you two and it was so thick I thought I was going to be crushed by it."

Remy's cheeks reddened as she hastily tried to stop a box from falling on them. "Oh, well, I don't know what you're talking about. We just get along really well, that's all."

"Mm. Sexual. _Tension._" Mara said, emphasizing each word as she returned to her desk after moving only three boxes. "Incredibly thick. I thought I was going to suffocate. The flirting was enough to make me sick."

"Still don't know what you mean." Remy grumbled as she returned to her desk. "I don't think I want any more office romances. They get awkward really, really fast." She retrieved a new form and looked it over. "I'll stick to watching a lot of soccer and having imaginary relationships with the attractive players." Remy started to type again, not realizing she was rambling so much. "Besides, I don't think I'm his type, so sorry, I won't flirt with him in front of you."

Mara rolled her eyes. "Fine. But I hope you learn to flirt by the time he stops by again. Otherwise I'll do the flirting for you."

Remy tried not to be horrified at the thought as she continued her work.

~

Clint showed up again the next day with a few more boxes. Mara huffed angrily, but she kept any comments she had to herself. Remy looked up from her desk when he arrived, a pen in her mouth as she typed away on her computer.

"Can you really type without looking?" He asked as he dropped the boxes on the floor next to her desk. He leaned over her shoulder, watching her type. "How are you not screwing up?"

"Oh, I got skills." Remy dropped the pen from her mouth before replying, still looking at him as she typed. "Also a really good memory, and so I know what the form says so when I'm typing, I don't have to look at it so much."

Clint nodded slowly as he moved to lean onto her desk instead of her chair. "So, a photographic memory or something?"

"Something, yea. I don't think it's photographic..."

"Oh, it is." Mara jumped in, smirking. "She really has a photographic memory, Clint. Just watch." Remy eyed her office mate suspiciously. "Agent Black, the first time you met Agent Barton, what was he wearing?"

Clint raised an eyebrow and looked at Remy, who was red in the face. Mara was still smirking at her, and Remy had to wonder what the other agent was trying to get out of this. Straightening up in her seat, Remy closed her eyes for a moment before she looked back at Mara.

"Track pants and running shoes, but no shirt." She recited. "I was in the gym with Agent Rumlow, who was trying to help me with some stretches to alleviate some back pain. We ran into Agent Barton, who was finishing up a run on the indoor track, and I didn't know who he was so Rumlow introduced us."

"Wow. That was, what, five years ago, wasn't it? Didn't you just start with SHIELD?" Clint said, raising an eyebrow.

"Mm. You had just come back from some mission and you had a black eye." Remy added with a nod. "You told me some old lady sucker punched you after you bumped into her on the street while you were pursuing your target."

Mara laughed. "See? There's more crazy details she remembers. Like, what did he smell like?"

"Ew, sweat, obviously." Remy said, wrinkling her nose. Mara raised an eyebrow and Remy sighed. "And Old Spice."

"Okay, but isn't it just common for folks to remember that sort of thing when they first meet someone?" Clint asked, looking skeptical. "I mean, I remember what you were wearing. You had a bright orange sports bra on under that white t-shirt you were wearing." He looked her over for a moment. "Besides, isn't that photographic memory thing sort of just a weird pop culture obsession?"

"Okay, fine." Remy now felt a challenge, and she wasn't about to back down. "I can recall every form I've entered since starting this project last week. Want to test me? Grab a random form and just give me the entry number. I'll even close my eyes."

Clint shook his head. "Nah, I don't have the time. I gotta be somewhere in a few minutes."

"Understandable." Remy grumbled as she returned to her work.

"Anyways, I may need to take you up on that memory thing, though. Maybe when we go out for drinks with everyone later this week?" He suggested.

Remy shrugged. "Yea, don't see why not."

"Sounds like a plan then." And with that, Clint headed out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note**: I don't own the characters you recognize from canon.

**Chapter Two**

It was two weeks before Remy saw Clint again. They never went out for drinks after that conversation, as he had been called away on a mission, and she opted out of joining some of the strike team for drinks. She was alone in the office this morning, having been told by Fury via email that Mara was returning to accounting effective immediately, and that Remy's new partner would be joining her around lunch time. However, Fury made no mention of who her new partner was. With a loud, overly dramatic sigh, she checked her watch. It was only 10am, and lunch was usually around noon. She had plenty of time to just laze around in the office until her new partner showed.

Humming some nonsense to herself, Remy pulled her hair back, messily braiding it before she checked herself over in her compact. She wasn't too concerned about looking professional in this office, given that there were never any visitors to look impressive for. Fury checked in on them via email, while Coulson and Hill were the only ones to stop by, but even that was rare. Remy was fine with being left alone for now.

Sighing, she looked herself over before buttoning her blouse back up. The damned buttons always came loose whenever she moved her arms, and Remy was tempted to decorate herself in safety pins to keep it closed. The last thing she wanted to do was buy another blouse in the next size up to accommodate her bust, but she was starting to think that it was inevitable. Since joining SHIELD five years prior, she had lost about 20 pounds, but none of that weight left her chest. She was still roughly a size 14 even after the weight loss, and while her size didn't bother her, the offhand comments from other agents did.

"Aw, fuck. I made myself sad." She mumbled to herself. Shaking her head, she picked up a form and pulled up the program, humming loudly to herself now as she began to type. Now that she had no Mara to annoy, Remy was perfectly happy to get the work done at a steady pace.

She worked for the two hours straight, only stopping when her wrists started to cramp. When she checked her watch, it was now a quarter after 12. Her new office mate should be arriving any minute now.

An angry voice outside of the room caught her attention. That must be her new partner. Remy stood up, made sure her blouse was still buttoned, and fixed her skirt before approaching the door. She was expecting another woman, or maybe a fresh faced agent who didn't know what to expect. Yet, there he stood, arm in a sling and several scratches on his face.

Clint Barton did not look happy, and he was angrily telling Coulson so.

"I can still go into the field." Clint argued as he stubbornly stayed outside the office. "I can fire a gun one handed. I don't need to be stuck at a desk!"

"The doctor won't clear you for duty, Agent Barton." Coulson informed him. There was a sort of finality to his tone. "You are to help Agent Black with entering in these forms into the SHIELD database until you are allowed to return to the field. You will listen to whatever she has to tell you in regards to the process of what's being done in here, understand?"

Remy stayed where she stood, staring at Clint, looking confused. "_He's_ my new office mate?" She asked, turning to Coulson.

"Gee, thanks for sounding so excited." Clint snapped. Remy rolled her eyes at that.

"Yes, I'm sorry you get to put up with his childish behavior." Coulson said, smiling a bit. "He's not thrilled with being cooped up like this, so try not to kill him on the first day. I'm thinking it's just the pain from his injury, as he's normally not this moody."

Clint was sulking, staring moodily at the floor as he shuffled into the office. He passed her and immediately claimed the vacant desk behind her, grumbling to himself. Remy looked at the broken marksman for a moment before looking back at Coulson.

"Permission to swat him with a rolled up newspaper if he annoys me?" She pleaded. To her delight, Coulson nodded, a smile on his face.

"Permission granted. Just don't break him further. We will need him back in the field when he's fully healed." Coulson teased. When he turned to Clint, he was serious. "Play nice, Agent Barton. And get work done. Listen to whatever Agent Black has to tell you. She will let me know if you aren't cooperating." Without awaiting a response, he left, heading back down the hallway.

Remy snorted and looked back at Clint. The other agent was on the computer, having pulled up Minesweeper. He was focused on that, clicking away at the screen as he tried to ignored her.

"Okay, I don't know how you broke yourself, but I am gonna make you work in here." She informed him as she returned to her seat. Clint grunted in response. Rolling her eyes, Remy rolled her chair over to him, purposefully bumping her chair into his. "Okay, this is what we're doing." She reached around him and took control of the mouse, exiting the game and bringing up the data program. She walked him through the steps of entering the information in, how they were labeling the file, and which document files they were being saved too. The explanation took longer than Remy was hoping, as Clint was pretending to fall asleep halfway through.

After swatting him on the back of the head, Remy finished up the explanation and rolled back over to her desk. She was wondering if this was how Mara felt working with her and the game of 'pause every five seconds to get her to almost yell'. However, Clint had only been there 20 minutes, and Remy did like him, so she hoped it wouldn't be terrible.

She glanced back at him, making sure he was actually working before she began her own document. They worked in silence, the only sound was the typing on the keyboard. She could hear the slow typing from his computer, and she figured that the broken arm slowed him down. Remy glanced back at him again, her fingers never leaving the keyboard as she typed. He hadn't said much since he came in, and she was pretty curious about what happened.

"So, did you get attacked on a mission or something?" She asked as she returned her gaze to the computer screen. She quickly fixed a few typos as she awaited his response. "Or did a kid break your arm when you knocked their ice cream cone to the ground?"

Clint sighed heavily and leaned back from the computer, shaking his head. "I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Wow, okay. I thought you field agents loved talking about your injuries from the field. Figured it was some sort of badge of honor type thing." She teased lightly, spinning around in her chair to face him. "I mean, when Agent Rumlow got a broken nose, he wouldn't stop telling me about it for weeks. And apparently he only got said broken nose when someone opened a door in his face." She pulled out a new form and looked it over. "It was only after I suggested he let me add a black eye to the mix that he stopped talking about it."

Clint snorted. "Bet he liked that."

"Pretty sure he did, because he offered to buy me a drink if I did it." Remy replied with a shrug. "Didn't work out, though. The guy is very, very hot, but eh."

"Wow, 'eh'? Him?" Clint asked, grinning as he turned his attention to her. "He doesn't strike me as the type to just be 'eh'."

"Well, okay." Remy spun her chair around in a full rotation before stopping. "He was amazing until he casually – and I use that term lightly, suggested that I start exercising with him every morning at 6 am. Six in the damn morning." She shuddered. "It was almost like he was proposing marriage."

"Ouch. That's early."

"Damn right." Remy said, shaking her head. "I don't mind exercising, but that's far to early for me. So I sent him to the showers and went on with my life." She glanced at Clint. "I mean, he wasn't trying to be an asshole about, y'know, my size and all, he generally wanted a work out buddy in the morning. I can't keep up with that kind of lifestyle."

Clint shook his head, grinning. "Sounded like a good decision. Early morning exercise is killer." He replied as he returned to his screen, typing slowly. "God, how many forms are there? I've done two. I feel like I've been here all week."

"There's a _lot_ of forms we have to re-enter into electronic form." Remy told him, sighing. "All these papers date back to the early formation of SHIELD, and while they are just things like bank statements and injury reports, they are important for records, and Fury wants them to be accessible through the digital archives. Why he chose now to do it, and why this didn't start to happen during the time SHIELD was starting to rely more heavily on computers and stuff, I have no idea." She shrugged. "But we still have a lot of boxes. They keep coming from different bases, kind of like when you delivered us those 10 dozen a few weeks ago."

"Yea, I was pretty sure your partner was going to murder me for that." He said as he finished up his form. "I honestly feared for my life when I saw her glare."

"That glare is terrifying, isn't it?" She agreed, shaking her head.

Clint hummed in response and they returned to typing. He was going to be working with her for many weeks now, and he felt he was going to be driven crazy by the repetition of the process. Resisting a groan, he sank back into his chair and typed.

"So, can I ask why you chose being a desk type agent instead of a field one?" Clint asked, looking over at her. He could see her tense up at the question, as though awaiting an attack from him. When she didn't respond, he tried again. "Do you prefer typing things instead of shooting things?"

"Basically, yes." She said, her voice tight. "I don't enjoy guns. I mean, I know how to use it and I will use it if needed, but that's not my main goal. I just like the office work SHIELD has to offer, and it's always interesting to see the reports on missions that come through."

"You read those?"

"When I'm not typing up old, outdated forms that should have been shredded long ago, Fury has me type up the missions that come in from agents." She said, shrugging. "And like I said, I enjoy desk work. Decent hours, wages, and I get to keep track of my team when they play, so it's nice to be home to watch matches." She paused for a moment before continuing. "Plus, being fucked over a desk is far sexier and cleaner than being fucked against a tree outdoors."

He did not just hear that. "Wait what?"

"You heard me." She said. What was said was so casual you would have thought they were discussing the weather. Clint studied her for a moment, trying to figure her out just by staring at her. Remy turned to look at him, leaning back in her chair with her hands resting on her stomach. "I'm not repeating myself, Agent Barton."

Clint nodded slowly and looked back at his computer. Well, with that thought in his mind, how was he going to concentrate now?

"I didn't freak you out, did I?" She asked.

"No, not at all." He replied, clicking random spots on the screen with his mouse. "I just did not expect that answer, but I have to admit, it's a good one." Clint sighed and pushed his keyboard away. "This is a nightmare. My vision is going to be shot from staring at these screens for so long."

Remy shrugged. "Then take some ten minute breaks when you start to go cross eyed. I think Fury would hate for you to damage your vision from this task." She told him. "And seriously, take breaks. I'm not as hard nosed as Agent Davis was, so if you get up to stretch your legs or stop your eyes from crossing, then I'm fine with that."

"You won't hit me with a rolled up newspaper if I duck out of here for a few minutes?" He asked jokingly, looking over at her. "I mean, I wouldn't mind it under the right circumstances, but I don't think we should do it in the office."

"Agent Barton, I didn't think you were into that kind of stuff." She replied, grinning. This conversation was incredible, and she only hoped no one would walk in on them talking like this. A small part of her just wanted Barton to remain in the office with her until all of the work was done, but she knew that the moment he was cleared by a doctor, he would be back out into the field, leaving Remy alone with a new agent to work with until the job was done or the agent was replaced.

"Well, Agent Black, there's a lot you don't know about me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note**: It looks like people are reading this. so that's awesome. I hope y'all are enjoying it. I had to take some time to edit most of it majorly because I decided to take a different turn with the story than I originally planned, so now I'm working out the kinks. I'm having a bit to much fun writing the dialogue at this point, and it's a struggle to write actions as well. Also, I think it might seem like a stale plot right now with them sitting in this office, but it does get to the plot in a few chapters and more of Remy's past is revealed, because why the hell not?

Enjoy. :3

**Chapter Three**

They worked well together for the first week, entering the forms and cracking jokes together, as well as the occasional flirting. Clint had brought coffee for them both starting on the third day, to which Remy was happy to pour half a cup of sugar into before she deemed it drinkable. Just watching her do it made Clint shudder, but he was curious how she could drink it now. The drink literally had to be half sugar at that point, and Clint wondered if that was normal for her.

"It's drinkable." Was all she had told him as she took a sip, noticing the look he was giving her. Clint made a gagging noise and sipped his black coffee. "Oh, come on. I'm spoiled and used to extremely delicious coffee, so I gotta make this drinkable. Though the gesture is touching."

"Next time I'll fly to where ever your fancy coffee comes from then." Clint retorted, rolling his eyes. "I didn't realize you were the damned Queen of Coffee. You need a crown or something with that inscribed on it."

Remy grinned, looking thoughtful at the title as she took another sip of her coffee. "Yea, that sounds like the perfect title for me."

When Remy came in the next day, Clint was already there. On her desk was a mug that read 'Queen of Coffee' on it, with a disposable coffee cup next to it. She smiled and poured the coffee into the mug, making sure to add enough sugar into it before taking a sip. She could hear Clint's groan of disgust once she was done.

Now they were starting their second week together and Clint was practically clawing at the walls to get out. He would get up, step out of the office and take a quick walk to the other end of the hall, then return. Clint kept moving around in his chair as well, trying to get comfortable. She tried to cut him some slack, knowing he wasn't used to this kind of work, and Remy managed to ignore him for the first four hours, but when lunch rolled around, she rolled her chair over to him, knocking into his chair.

"Okay, caged bird, let's leave and get lunch outside of the building." She said briskly as she stood up. After kicking her chair back to her desk, she grabbed Clint by his uninjured arm and began to pull him, chair and all, towards the door.

"Fine, fine, I can walk, you know!" He grumbled as he knocked her arm away before getting to his feet. She just grinned at him as she retrieved her purse and jacket. Sighing, he followed her out of the office and down the hall, making their way out of the building. Once they were outside, Clint took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air and the sun. She shook her head and led him to the car park where her vehicle was. Once they were in, Clint immediately fiddled with the radio, trying to find a station to listen too.

Remy drove from the complex, batting at his hand when he wouldn't leave the dial alone. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you hated working with me in that office." She teased as they passed the security gates, heading to the main street. "Am I that awful to work with?"

"S'not you." He said as he resumed his mission of finding some decent music. "I just don't like sitting at a desk. I like to be moving." Once he finally found a song he liked, he turned the volume up and sat back in his seat. "I mean, if I was working with someone else in that office, they probably would have murdered me by now, but I do like working with you."

"Aw, shucks. You're gonna make me blush." Remy said as she drove. "Yea, if Agent Davis had been stuck with you, I imagine you would have been murdered already. Pretty sure we'd be finding your body parts in various parts of the building."

"That's a very morbid thought, Agent Black." Clint teased. "How do I know you aren't planning to do that to me if I drive you crazy?"

"Uh, hello, I'm going to hit you with a newspaper when you drive me crazy." She retorted, shaking her head as she drove. "I decided your punishment with Coulson, remember?"

They drove in silence for the rest of the way until Remy found a parking spot. Clint realized they never decided where to eat, but Remy seemed to have a general idea where to go, and he obediently followed her from her car and down the sidewalk until she came upon a diner. Clint held the door open for her and she gave him a smile before making her way to a booth in the back of the diner. He followed after her, glancing around before he took a seat.

"Quaint place." He commented as he shrugged his jacket off. Remy smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Isn't it? I love it here." She said, still smiling. "Good food, good atmosphere, and the staff are amazing."

A waiter brought them each a glass of water and menu before walking off to check on other customers. Remy pushed her menu aside and sipped her water, watching Clint. He glanced at her occasionally as he studied the menu.

"Okay, kind of feel like you're silently judging me." He commented as he looked over the burger selection. "What do you suggest I eat?"

"A burger and fries. They are delicious here." Remy told him, licking her lips. "I'm getting the mushroom swiss burger and sweet potato fries. Totally worth it."

Clint nodded. "Sounds good to me."

The waiter came back around and took their orders before dashing off again. Remy leaned back and sipped her water, watching Clint carefully.

"I'm still curious about how you broke yourself."

"Still don't want to talk about it."

Remy frowned. "Did something bad happen on a mission?"

Clint looked at his cast. "It didn't happen on a mission." He grumbled, not meeting her gaze. Remy's eyes widened and she grinned.

"Oh my god, did you like, help a little old lady cross the street and get hit by a car or something?" She asked, sounding far to amused by his pain. Clint shut his eyes and counted to 10. He really didn't want to talk about it, but he knew she would bug him until he spoke.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you, but this doesn't leave the table, understand?" He said, sounding vaguely threatening. She nodded and pretended to zip her lips. Rolling his eyes, he sighed. "This is what happened. The other night, I was helping my neighbor change the light bulbs in her bathroom. She's old, like, 89 or something, so she was in no position to do it so she asked me. I don't mind, it's something to do." He took a sip of his water. "So I'm balancing on this rickety chair, and she has like, a dozen cats at least. And one of them decided to attack my leg while I'm on this rickety chair. And the next thing I remember after that was waking up in the hospital with my arm in a sling."

Remy stared at him, her mouth open. Clint watched her as he continued. "They said I dislocated my shoulder and broke my arm. And another cat attacked my face." She let out a snort. "Don't you laugh. Don't you _dare _laugh." He looked threatening, but now that she knew how he got the scratches on her face, she couldn't even take him seriously now.

She clapped her hand over her mouth, face going red. It was difficult, and she was doing what she could, but Remy could only contain herself for so long before she erupted into loud, obnoxious laughter. Other patrons in the diner turned to look at the two while Clint covered his face in embarrassment. She pounded her fist on the table as she laughed, letting it go on for a few minutes before she tried to contain herself.

"Yea, that's it. Laugh at my pain." He grunted, pouting as he rubbed his shoulder. "I could have died. The paramedics apparently found me unconscious in the bathtub with a cat on my face."

"But... but you didn't die!" Remy exclaimed between giggles. "You got taken out by a _cat_!"

Clint grumbled, sinking down into his seat. "Look, if you tell anyone, I'll have Natasha deal with you. She can and will make you disappear if I ask her. Even Coulson won't know where you are."

"Oh, honey, don't worry." She said, giggling. "I won't tell a soul. Your cat story is safe with me." She hiccuped, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I don't want to be on Agent Romanoff's shit list."

Clint wasn't sure if he believed her, but he stayed quiet. All the while, Remy continued to giggle as she slowly calmed herself down.

By the time they returned to the office, two hours had gone by. Thankfully they were left to their own devices for the most part, with only the occasional email check in from Fury. Clint sat at his computer and began to enter in a new form, this time moving a bit faster than he had been previously. Remy went to work at her own desk, entering in three forms for every one that Clint did. They didn't speak for the first hour after they returned, as they wanted to make up for the lost hour. Both were so focused on their work they didn't hear the knock at the door.

"You actually got him doing desk work." Came Coulson's voice. Remy jumped, hands slapping her desk as she looked up.

"Dammit, don't sneak up like that!" She hissed, glaring at him. Coulson merely shrugged.

"I knocked a minute before I said a word." He replied evenly. "You two were working to hard to hear me." He cocked his head to the side, giving Remy a look. "And you should cut back on the coffee if you're this jumpy, Agent Black."

She stuck her tongue out at him in response and turned back to her computer screen.

"Are you here to free me?" Clint asked hopefully, looking up from his desk. Coulson shook his head and Clint grumbled, returning to his work.

"I only came to check on your progress." Coulson said, leaning into the door frame. "And to make sure you aren't going to kill me when I tell you that another 10 dozen boxes were found in another base outside of New Mexico. Fury wants those entered too."

Clint gave him a murderous look while Remy just frowned. "Okay, normally that sounds exciting to me, but where the hell are these all coming from? Seriously now." She asked as she gestured to the boxes around the office. "And either you guys find a place to stash those boxes while we go through the lot we already have, or Fury upgrades our office to one that is bigger and has windows that give us a view of the city. I'm pretty sure this guy is going to cut his own damn window into a wall if he doesn't see natural sunlight while he's in here."

Clint nodded in agreement as he typed away. "Yep. Can't work under these conditions."

"I'll see what I can do." Coulson replied, rolling his eyes as he left.

Clint groaned and slumped back in his chair. "This is torture. Absolute torture." He whined, pushing the keyboard away. "I can't do this anymore."

"Oh, come on now. This cannot be the worse thing you've ever been through." Remy said, shaking her head. "It's not that bad. And who knows, we could get a new office. Or, rather, I'll get a new office that I'll share with these rotating agents." She placed the finished form back into the box before retrieving a new one. "What gets me is that we're doing this all by hand, but I assume that there's some crazy technology out there that someone could use to hack into a damn scanner and have the files doubled or something."

"Why the hell would someone want these files?" Clint complained as he pushed away from his desk. "Aren't they just expense reports and receipts?"

"And injury reports." Remy added with a shrug. "I'm sure Fury has some reason for wanting them archived electronically like this, but I want to know where the hell these are all coming from. It's quite ridiculous that as soon as we get down to about three dozen or so boxes, another ten dozen are added to the mix."

Clint groaned in frustration as he slid out of his chair and onto the floor. Remy carefully moved her chair to keep from running him over as she peered down at him. "Better not look up my skirt, Barton. And stop being so dramatic. I'll send an email to Fury with my request." He nodded slowly and looked up at her, only to immediately look away. "Oh, you looked up my skirt, didn't you? Pervert."


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** Here is chapter 4! I'm so pleased that people are reading this and following along! Thank you so much!

This chapter introduces a few new characters and starts to introduce the plot. Also, this chapter is the longest one so far. I apologize for that. It might get a bit laggy in parts, and I do apologize for that, but I still hope you enjoy. I'm hoping to keep this story to maybe 20 chapters, perhaps a bit more. And I have a sequel planned that will tie into The Winter Soldier movie, because why the hell not?

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Two days went by since Coulson checked in on them, meaning it was now Friday. Remy had sent an email request to Fury about changing offices, but she hadn't heard back from him. While Clint was still sulky about the situation, Remy did notice that he wasn't as grumpy as he had been when he first arrived in the office. She hoped maybe he was accepting of his fate and that he would increase production a bit. She was up to getting five forms completed for every two he did, and she hoped that he could increase his typing speed before someone uncovered another collection of boxes.

Both arrived at the office at the same time, Clint with coffee for the two of them and Remy with two doughnuts, both relieved it was the end of the week. She set one on Clint's desk before retreating to her own, checking her email for anything important. There was an email from Hill, saying there was a meeting that she needed Remy to attend today at 10 AM, and an email from Fury, saying there new forms coming their way. That was it, nothing about what the forms were or where they were coming from, just that there were more coming their way. He didn't even bring up the request for an office change. She groaned and slumped back in her chair.

Something hit her in the back of the head. She swiveled around in her chair to face her attacker. Clint was looking innocent as he threw another crumpled piece of paper at her. Glaring, she caught the paper ball midair and tossed it back to him.

"Hey, you can't get frustrated with your work." Clint scolded, shaking his finger at her. "You being excited about this crap is the reason it's bearable to come here every day."

She rolled her eyes and sat up straight in her chair. "Thanks, but I have a meeting with Agent Hill at ten, so it's going to be miserable in here without me." She retorted. "Try to get stuff done without me, okay? I don't know how long the meeting is or what it's about."

"Do you have to leave?" Clint asked, pouting at her. "I'd hate for production to go down without the most active member of the team here to lead the charge."

She rolled her eyes again and sighed loudly. "You are such a dork." She announced as she swiveled back to her desk. "You need to get to work, mister, and so do I. And then you will keep working even while I'm gone to this mysterious meeting." Sighing, she pulled up the program and began to type. "Who knows, maybe this is all a ploy to get rid of me and replace me with someone else in here."

"Oh god, don't say that. You're the only reason I haven't hung myself since being stuck on desk duty." Clint groaned, throwing another paper ball at her. This one got caught in her hair. "If it comes to that, I'll become your assistant or something. Anything to not be stuck in here."

She tried to keep from grinning to much as she brushed the paper ball out of her hair. Oh, he liked having her around then? That was nice to hear. "Well, best hope that's not the case then. Who knows, she might want me taking notes during the meeting. I mean, she didn't say what it was about, just that I needed to be there at ten." She retrieved a sticky note and began to fold it into a paper crane, which she promptly tossed at Clint once she was done. He caught it and set it next to his monitor. "But while I'm gone, you really gotta work, man. I know you hate it, but I really need you to get through as many of these things as you can, okay?"

Shrugging, Clint threw another ball of paper at her. "I guess, if I have too." He said with a sigh. "I'll do what I can to dredge through this crap."

"Aw, thanks. Now get to work." She retorted, knocking the ball out of the way before turning back to her screen. She could hear Clint mumbling to himself and then the sounds of the keyboard. After a minute of sitting there, she retrieved a form and began to copy it into the computer.

* * *

About a quarter til ten, Remy got up from her desk. She patted Clint on the shoulder before leaving the office, shutting the door behind her. Agent Hill had told her to go to the 31st floor conference room, which was insane. Remy was on the 5th floor, and so that was quite a ways to go. Sighing, she approached the elevator and pressed the up button, wishing she brought her coffee. She had no idea what to expect from this meeting, but she might fall asleep if it's incredibly boring.

After a few minutes, the elevator arrived and she climbed inside. She selected the 31st floor, but figured the trip would take longer with other agents getting on and off it as it climbed the floors. It was inevitable that there could be other agents at this meeting, and Remy tried to think of what it could be about.

The elevator stopped at the 16th floor, where a few agents climbed on board. They nodded to Remy and she nodded back, even though she knew one of them by name only, but not what they did. That was the thing she was not overly fond of SHIELD – the amount of people working for the agency. Remy would have liked to have known most of the people she worked with, but given that there were agents everywhere, she knew it was impossible. Granted, she knew a nice number of them, but it seemed like every day, after five years at SHIELD, she was always meeting someone new.

At the 23rd floor, all of the agents left, but one climbed on. This time, she recognized the agent. Agent Brock Rumlow nodded politely at her as he stepped into the elevator. She smiled back, keeping close to the elevator control panel.

"So, which floor?" She asked jokingly, hand raised and ready to push a button. She had been nice and done it for the other agents as well, and some of them had tipped her a few dollars, which she wasn't sure if she should be flattered or offended by it. She was trying to be nice, but she wasn't an official SHIELD elevator operator if that's what they thought. Remy ended up pocketing the money anyways.

"31st floor." He replied, arms crossed against his chest as he leaned against the wall. "Got a meeting with Agent Hill about an upcoming mission."

Remy looked up. "Oh? That's where I'm headed."

"Huh. Did you suddenly become an operative or something?" He teased, raising an eyebrow. "I have to say, I'd love to see you take out a horde of angry vigilantes. It'd be kind of hot."

She stuck her tongue out at him as the elevator continued to rise up. It felt like eternity, but by Remy's watch it had only been 12 minutes since she first climbed on the elevator. She had three minutes to get to the conference room, and she didn't want to be late. When the elevator finally stopped on the 31st floor, she and Brock stepped off, heading down the hall to the room. They walked in silence, and when they arrived at the room, Brock held the door open for her, letting her inside first. Remy gave him a polite smile and stepped towards the large conference table. Agent Hill was already seated at one end of it, looking over papers. There were two other agents present – one Remy vaguely recognized and another was someone she had never seen before.

Remy took the free seat next to Agent Hill, giving the other woman a questioning look. Brock sat next to her, leaning back in his seat with his arms folded back across his chest.

"Glad you two could make it." Hill said as she passed out folders to all of them. Remy took her folder and flipped it open, raising an eyebrow at what she saw. While she appreciated that Agent Hill brought her onto this meeting, but Remy still was wondering what she was doing there.

She looked over the folder, flipping through the pages. It was the blueprints of a building – an old one, actually. Remy thought it could be late 19th century, maybe early 20th. It was an American infrastructure, that much she was able to tell, and the fact that there was the name of an American city written on the top right hand corner of it gave it away as well.

"Agent Hill?" Remy asked, holding her hand up. Agent Hill turned to her, raising an eyebrow. Remy took that as a sign to speak. "While I'm completely flattered and in awe to be here and given these documents, I still don't know what I'm doing here. I'm data entry, not a bad ass agent like Romanoff or something."

"The reason you are all here is because you were hand picked for this mission, simply because you all have skills required for it." Hill began, turning her attention away from Remy. "You will need to go over the documents in your folder and memorize them, because once we get you to the building, you will not be able to reference them. Agent Rumlow will leading the strike team that will be on call for you should something go ugly."

"Where is this taking place?" Another agent asked. Remy glanced at him, trying to remember his name. He was only a few inches taller than her, thin with pale skin and blonde hair. Remy was kind of reminded of Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies, but she couldn't recall his name to save her life. Agent James? Johnson? It was something like that.

"You will be tasked with recovering something stolen that is being kept in Seattle, Washington." Agent Hill told him as she held up the blueprints of the building. "The building you are to infiltrate was built in 1903, and while it has been brought up to code for today's standards, there are still old walkways and rooms in here that will not show up on a modern blueprint of it." Hill lifted up another picture. "This is what you are retrieving. It is believed to be one of Howard Stark's inventions that was not recovered after an incident in the 1940's. While the SSR thought, at the time, that they had everything, even after Stark's confirmation, it is revealed that it wasn't the case. We don't know what the item is, but we believe it to be dangerous, given that it _is_ a Stark invention from that time period."

"And how are we to infiltrate this building?" A female agent – a gorgeous dark skinned woman with black curly hair asked. It was taking everything in Remy's willpower not to stare at her.

"It has retail space on the main floor with hotel rooms above it. The artifact is likely to be in a room on the 5th floor." Hill said as she closed her file. "The person of interest is Nora Clark. She'll be staying in that room while she is here for some conference with her husband. You will need to retrieve the item from her in anyway possible, short of killing her." Hill looked at the three of them. "It's possible she doesn't even realize what she has, but you need to treat this with caution, just in case. I don't need to say that you don't discuss this mission with anyone else, correct?"

They all agreed and Hill left at that. Remy stared down at the folder, studying the blueprints before her. It was of the suite Nora Clark was staying in, which was a large suite with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and living room/dining room area. It was pretty fancy, actually, and Remy wondered what sort of conference it was.

She turned to a third set of blueprints. This one was labeled '1903: Original Plan'. It was the dimensions of the previous print, but there was some changes, such as demolition of the third bedroom for the modern version, which Remy figured was turned into a modern master bedroom. As she studied the prints, she noticed what looked like a closet attached to the original third bedroom. It seemed to have a door. She grabbed the modern prints and compared the two. There was no mystery closet door on the modern print. It was odd to her. Sighing, she looked up, wondering if she should bring this to the attention of the other agents.

Remy was kind of having second thoughts about this whole mission-thing.

The other agents chatted amongst themselves, having left Remy out of the discussion while Agent Jones/Johnson already seemed to elect himself the leader of the three of them, coming up with some sort of plan for their attack. Remy glanced at Brock, who looked quite bored by the whole ordeal already. Biting down on her lip, Remy looked over at the other two.

"Okay, so, I don't know you two," She began, gesturing to the two of them. "but maybe we should introduce ourselves before we go all James Bond on this thing, okay?"

James/Johnson shrugged and looked at the other agent. "Fine. I'm Agent Henry Jameson. I've been here two years and have had seven successful retrieval missions like this."

James, Johnson, Jameson. Close enough. Remy knew she already disliked him, however. There was an incredible smugness about him that made her feel sick.

The other agent held up her hand. Remy turned to look at her this time, once again taking in how beautiful this woman was. If Remy wasn't so infatuated with Clint, she would have been flirting with this agent. "I'm Agent Sally Keller. Been here a year and a half. I normally do under cover work in other countries."

Jameson looked like maybe he wanted to say something, but Brock finally spoke. "I'm Agent Brock Rumlow. And that's all you really need to know."

Sally and Jameson turned to Remy and she suddenly felt awkward. These two had actual experience out there, and she was just a desk worker. Brock nudged her and she slapped her hand on the desk in surprise, startled. "O-Okay, hi. Sorry, I'm Agent Remy Black. I've been with SHIELD for five years now and... this is my first mission."

"First mission without your S.O.?" Sally asked with a frown; Remy shook her head. "So... in a team then?"

"No, just in general." Remy told them. "I do desk work, sometimes administrative. Right now I'm actually electronically archiving old SHIELD forms and reports."

"So... why are you even here?" Jameson asked rather rudely as he straightened up. "Not to state the obvious, but you're clearly not an operative."

Remy blinked. "Well, obviously I'm not an operative since I just told you what my current job was." She replied calmly. "However, clearly we all have something to contribute if we were all asked to be apart of this mission."

"Then I fail to see how you can contribute." Jameson shot back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remy asked, feigning innocence. She knew what he meant, though, but she wanted him to say it.

"Well, look at you. You aren't exactly in any sort of shape for an agent. What use are you going to be?" Jameson said, looking smug. "If we have to run away from danger, don't expect any of us to wait around for you. You might be safe if you duck into a cupcake shop or something, though."

Before Remy could respond, Brock was on his feet and in Jameson's face. The member of the strike team easily towered over the younger agent, who was doing his best not to cower under his glare.

"Brock." Remy began, standing up.

Brock grabbed Jameson by the front of his jacket, shoving the other agent into the wall. Sally rolled her eyes, looking unimpressed by it all. Remy just shook her head, looking kind of embarrassed.

"Agent Black is well liked amongst her peers, understand?" Brock all but growled, glaring dangerously at the younger agent. "She might not have the physical experience you all have, but she is definitely useful in other things. However many missions you go on does not constitute a great agent." He shoved Jameson up against the wall once more for good measure before dropping him to the ground.

Remy collected her file and gave them all a fake smile before exiting the conference room. Brock did the same, following after the other agent. He caught up with her just as the elevator door opened and stepped inside with her. He selected his floor, and Remy reached over to do the same. He caught her by the wrist and backed her up against the wall, looking down at her.

"Are you okay?" He asked, the anger he had minutes earlier now gone. "That punk shouldn't have said that. I'm going to make sure he works out until he pukes this week."

Remy removed herself from his grasp and slid around him, selecting her floor. "I'm okay, Brock. This isn't the first time this has happened."

"Still." He grabbed her again, this time wrapping his arms around her as he looked into her eyes. "I'll punch him if he says something like that again."

"Well, you're sweet, Brock." Remy told him, patting his arm awkwardly as she twisted herself out of his grasp again. "But that ship has sailed, and I've got my eyes on a new captain. I appreciate this rushing into save me thing, but I'll handle it next time, okay?"

Brock looked put out, but nodded. "Right, sorry. Won't... happen again."

* * *

**Closing Note:** I enjoy writing Sally and Hill a lot so both will appear a bit more, because again, why the hell not? And I had to really cut the end scene because I realized I made it horribly sappy, and I tried to channel Ramona Flowers when writing Remy in the end here, because she clearly does not have any feelings for anyone else right now, save for an archer.

Sorry for the ramble! I hope you enjoyed it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: **I think I've decided to try and post a new chapter every Tuesday. I have a chunk of them written already, and so it's just a matter of keeping myself from putting all of them up at once. I gotta hold back a little bit.

I'm still so freaking excited people are reading it and seeming to enjoy it. I apologize if it gets slow in places, but I tried to make the dialogue fun to make up for that.

I'm also freaking excited for the second Avengers movie. Aw yissss. Enjoy chapter five, y'all!

* * *

**Chapter Five**

Clint looked up when Remy entered the office. She was gone for only an hour, so obviously it wasn't a real serious meeting. He put away the files he had already typed up and spun his chair around to look at her. He was about to crack a joke about it, but when he saw how tense she was, he stopped.

"Wait, what happened?" He asked, frowning. Remy looked up at him as she placed the file into her purse. "Remy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Was her reply as she took a seat, spinning around to face her computer.

"Something happened." It wasn't a question. Remy sighed and spun her chair to face him. "Remy, what happened?"

"Fine." She said, looking tired. "I was called to a meeting, listened to said meeting, and then another agent basically tried to embarrass me about my size." Remy sighed and sat back in her seat. "I mean, this was not the first time this happened, but it was still embarrassing for him to do it in front of Brock and Agent Keller like that."

Clint looked stunned by this. "Who the hell was he? I'll kick his ass."

"Aw, you're sweet." Remy said with a slight grin. "Brock already put the fear of God into him, however."

"Agent Rumlow was there?"

"Mhm. He was. Pretty sure that agent wet himself after Brock was done." She replied, shrugging. Clint frowned.

"What the hell was the meeting about?" Clint asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the subject of her ex. Remy shrugged and leaned back in her seat.

"Technically I can't tell you." She told him. "But I get to go on my first mission in a few weeks, and that is all I'm saying about it."

"But... you're not that kind of agent."

"Thank you. That's been pointed out to me already."

Clint frowned and looked at all the boxes that were still surrounding them in the office. "What about me? What about all this work? Are they bringing someone different while you're gone, or is this a permanent thing? Because if it is, I'm sure as hell not working with someone new on this. I'll fuckin' walk out."

Remy shrugged as she looked at the boxes as well. "Who knows. Hill didn't tell me, but I'm not leaving for a few weeks, so I think you'll be okay. And even then, I don't think the mission is a long one. A few days? Then I'll come back and you can throw crumpled bits of paper at me again."

Pouting, Clint swiveled his chair to face his computer screen. "I guess. Throw in a night to the bar and I'll be good to whoever is your temporary replacement."

"I suppose that would be fine, but I'll only pay for two drinks." Remy told him, a small smile on her face. "Let's plan for... next Friday? I got stuff to do this weekend and I gotta be not so shit-faced."

Clint shrugged a bit. "Yea, I guess that would work." He replied with a glance at the computer's clock. "Hey, let's get lunch. I'm starving, and I bet you are too, 'cause you didn't eat your doughnut so I took it."

She rolled her eyes but stood back up, grabbing her purse. "Shall we then?"

* * *

They went back to the diner they ate at earlier in the week. It was convenient and delicious, not to mention pretty cheap for the most part. They took a seat in the same booth as before, looking over the menu. Clint already decided on a burger, but decided to skim the menu anyways. Remy seemed to be concentrating hard on her menu, a frown on her face as she studied it.

"You know you're not going to be quizzed on the menu, right?" Clint teased as he set his menu down. She looked up sheepishly, setting her menu down on top of his.

"I know, sorry. I'm just thinking of the mission..." She sighed. Clint held his hands up.

"Stop, you said you can't talk about it, so don't talk about it." He told her, shaking his head. "Don't bring it up with me or anyone else. Don't over think what may or may not happen. Just study up on whatever Hill gave you and go from there. I bet this mission isn't even that bad, and it will be a breeze. And you will probably end up loving this kind of stuff and ditch the desk and chair for some real adventure."

She rolled her eyes. "Yea, right. I'll stick to desk work."

The waiter came over and took their orders. Remy stalled for a moment before finally giving hers, as she had not been fully prepared. She ordered her usual before settling back into the booth, looking across the table at Clint. The scratches on his face were almost gone, leaving only very faint scabbing. He was still in pain from his dislocated shoulder and broken arm, but he was moving it around a bit more. And he didn't look so grumpy as he had been the first week, which was a huge improvement.

Clint caught her staring and raised an eyebrow. "Is there something on my face?"

"Oh? What? No, not at all." She shook her head. "Just wanted to stare at you for a moment, you know. Gotta work on them agent skills of knowing how people's faces are or something."

"And what about that photographic memory of yours?" He asked jokingly. "Can't you just glance at me once and remember my beautiful face for years to come?"

"Oh my god, I'm going to kill Agent Davis for ever telling you that." She groaned. "I really do have a good memory. And yea, I really can recall every detail of the first time we met, but it's not like my brain is full of intense secrets and shit from all SHIELD's files that I've looked over." Remy took a sip of her water. "Anyways, let's not talk shop, but I don't know what else to talk about besides talking shop."

"Soccer?" Clint proposed with a shrug. "You like soccer, don't you? I've watched you on our lunch breaks, obsessively looking at your team's stats and schedule on your phone." He frowned. "What the hell is a Sounder? And I have never watched a game in my life, really, but the point is to get the ball into the other team's goal, right?"

Remy's eyes lit up and she tried to contain her excitement as she bounced a bit in her seat. "Yes, soccer. I love soccer, probably a little too much, but you've never seen a match? Ever?" Clint shook his head. "Okay, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Well, it's Saturday... so sleeping."

"No, you're going to come over to my place and watch the Sounders play."

"Okay, but what the hell is a Sounder? Where are they from?" Clint asked, wondering if he was going to regret this. "Isn't there some team here in D.C.? And I thought you were busy this weekend so you didn't want to get shit-faced?"

"Oh my god, Clint, babe, okay, give me a minute." She reached across the table and took hold of his uninjured hand. "Let me bask in this for a minute. You want me to tell you about soccer and it's going to take every fiber of my being not to scare you off with my love for the sport." She squeezed his hand once for good measure. "And the match is the reason I don't plan to get shit-faced."

"You're starting to scare me right now."

"Shut up." She grinned and let go of his hand, leaning back in her seat. "Okay, so you are right. The idea is to get the ball into the opposing team's goal. Each match has two 45 minute halves, making the match roughly 90 minutes, unless they add stoppage time because of fouls and injuries or the players were dicking around." Remy gave the waiter a smile when he returned with their food and drinks. When he was gone, she looked back at Clint, who was already pouring ketchup all over his fries. "That's gross. Anyways, the Sounders are part of the western conference and have been around for a few years. They are based in Seattle, Washington, and their name comes from the fact that Seattle is right on the Puget Sound, which eventually goes out around the horn of Washington and into the Pacific Ocean."

Clint stared at her, a french fry raised up and almost to his mouth. He shook his head and took a bite of the fry. "You are such a nerd."

"Shut up." She repeated, still grinning as she took a bite from her burger. "They have a match tomorrow at 5:30 Pacific time, so that would be... 8:30 our time. You up for it? Let's skip the bar and you just come over Saturday for the match."

"In the _morning_?" Clint asked, looking horrified. "Weren't you the one who dumped someone over the idea of exercising that early?"

Remy took a moment to register what he was saying. "Oh, oh! No, evening." She assured him before throwing a french fry at him. "And yes, I did break up with him over the need for early morning exercise, whatever." She took a bite of her own fry. "And anyways, 8:30 in the morning isn't that early compared to like, six am for fuckin' weight lifting."

"Thank god." Clint said as he took a bite of his burger. "I knew you were crazy, but I didn't think you were crazy enough to wake up that early for soccer."

"Oh, babe, you have no idea."

* * *

When they returned to the office almost two hours later, there was a new folder on Remy's desk. The word CLASSIFIED was stamped across it, so she hastily shoved it into her purse with the other file. She would look it over back at her apartment, where she could start to really understand the mission. While Remy trusted Clint and knew he wouldn't snoop, she knew she didn't want to take the chance of any other agent seeing the details.

There was also an email from Fury in response to her request about a new office. All it said was that he'd think about it and get back to her. Rolling her eyes, she closed out of her email and pulled up the data program. Clint was already typing away at his own computer, grumbling to himself when he would repeatedly hit the backspace to fix an error he made. Once he got back into his groove, however, Clint was fine, typing away and sometimes singing softly to himself. Remy didn't realize how much she'd miss being confined in this room with him until just now.

In a little over two weeks, she would be shipped out to Seattle for some recovery mission, and she had no idea what to expect or how long it would take, but she knew she would miss working with Clint. Hell, she was half tempted to email Hill and beg for someone else to take over her position just so she could stay in this cramped, box filled office with Clint because she wanted to continue to flirt with him and spend time with him.

But that was selfish and would set her back. While Remy never expected to advance far in SHIELD, she thought that if opportunities like this came up, then maybe she should jump on the chance to expand her experience with the agency. And while she would definitely miss being in Clint's presence, it might be good for her to work with new agents in a different setting, just so she could get a feel for what else was out there in SHIELD.

She looked over at Clint, who was now bobbing his head to some song in his head as he typed away one handed, his busted arm resting comfortably against his stomach. Remy rolled her eyes and crumbled up a post-it note before throwing it at him, smiling triumphantly as it bounced off the back of his head.

"Dammit, woman, you threw off my groove!"

"Totally worth it."

* * *

**Closing Note: **Yea I'm a fan of the Sounders. I kind of had to make her a fan of something to give her more depth...


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note:** I decided to upload chapter 6 right after five, because why not? I enjoyed writing this chapter because it was fun for more out of office stuff. As the story goes on, it will be a lot of this: out of the office and no one really works at SHIELD a lot type stuff it seems. I have over 20 chapters written for this story, and I'm feeling happy that I will actually finish this thing.

I'm feeling comfortable asking for feedback if people want to share it. I've been working on this story while also juggling work and school, so this has been a good outlet for me when I feel frustrated.

Thank you for reading, though!

* * *

**Chapter Six**

Clint knocked on the door to her apartment at about 8 PM. She had only told him where she lived that morning when she sent an epic text with directions to her place as well as instructions on how to enter the building. Once he got to the part of the instructions that read, "Now, to answer the sphinx's riddle, you gotta make sure to..." he realized she was just as insane as he thought, and that all he had to do was get buzzed into the building by her.

Remy opened the door a few minutes after he knocked. He had never seen her in casual wear before, and if this is what she wore outside of work, he approved. She was wearing a pair of bright green sleep shorts and a soccer jersey – Sounders, obviously, judging by the colors and crest sewn onto it. The jersey was snug on her, riding up a little over her stomach, leaving nothing to the imagination, and he enjoyed it very much.

"Hey, awesome, come on in!" She said, a big smile on her face as she held the door open for him. "I'm glad you could make it. It's just gonna be us, 'cause other folks canceled on me."

"Cancel on you? It's a soccer match!" Clint replied in mock horror as he slipped his shoes off. Remy swatted at him as she headed to the kitchen. He took a moment to look around the apartment. It didn't look all that lived in, really. It looked like a two bedroom apartment, though one of the doors remained shut while the other door remained open. As he followed her to the kitchen, he peeked in, taking note that it was obviously her room, considering the clothes strewn across the floor were the ones she wore yesterday.

"Trying to plan an escape route?" She teased as she handed him a beer. "That's my room there, but ignore the closed door. A freakin' minotaur lives in there and if you cross the threshold, he'll murder you."

"Wow, good roommate choice." Clint said as he took the beer from her, glancing around her apartment. "This place looks cozy." He paused and looked back at her. "For a museum, that is."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "What's your place look like?"

"Lived in." Was his reply before he ducked away from her, heading to the couch. Remy just rolled her eyes and followed after him, only after swatting him on the back of the head before taking a seat on the couch. "Oww, no wonder they want you in the field. You hit really hard."

"Oh my god." Remy shook her head and scooted closer to him, holding her beer up against the 'injury'. "There, better?"

Clint shrugged a bit, side-eying her as he took a moment to really look at her. This wasn't much different from them being in the office, really, and he kind of liked that. They were still flirting and bantering with each other, as well as the occasional touch here and there. While the two had known each other for several years now, these last couple of weeks were the first time they actually worked closely together, and Clint really was enjoying it, no matter how much he complained.

"Oh, yea, better." He said as he took a swig of his beer. Remy bumped her shoulder against his playfully before retrieving the remote control from the coffee table and turning the television on. She flipped it to the desired channel and settled back into the couch, tucking her feet under her as she leaned into Clint.

"So, do I need to talk to you during the entire match so you know what's going on, or do you want to listen to the announcer?" She asked as she turned the volume up just a bit. "I mean, I'm more colorful than that guy, but if you want a more serious description of the match, then I'll be calm."

Clint leaned back into the couch and stretched his arm over the back of the couch. Remy took this as an invite as she snuggled up him, making sure she was comfortable before the match started. She had no desire to move once the ball was rolling.

"I dunno, I wouldn't mind seeing you lose control tonight." He replied, a slight edge to his voice as he glanced down at her. "I mean, we aren't at work so you don't have to hold back. If you're gonna scream at the TV, you're gonna scream at the TV."

Remy looked up at him, eyebrow raised as she mulled over what he said. There was an intense silent discussion between the two before Remy looked back at the TV, giving an excited cheer when the announcer said the match was about to start.

* * *

Clint had never seen someone go through as many emotions as Remy did that night. She was excited, happy, devastated, almost crying, depressed for about 10 minutes, and then ecstatic when they finally won. It had been the craziest two hours Clint had been through in years, but he wouldn't mind watching going through it again. In reality, he watched her more than he watched the match.

It was nearing 11 PM now. Remy stood up from the couch and yawned, scratching her stomach as she collected empty beer bottles. Clint grabbed the empty popcorn bowl and followed after her, wincing when he stepped on a few stray pieces. Remy had made popcorn during the halftime break, but most of it ended up on the floor or down the back of their shirts instead of their mouths.

"Ugh, I'll vacuum tomorrow." She said as she rinsed out the bottles before setting them aside on the counter. He stepped up behind her, reaching around to place the empty bowl in the sink. There was a chance right then and she took it. Twisting around, Remy reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to her and kissing him.

Clint generally seemed surprised for all of a millisecond before his good arm wrapped around her back as he leaned into the kiss. They stayed like that for a moment before Remy pulled back, licking her lips as she watched him.

"Yea, okay, that's what I thought." She mumbled, a sly grin on her face as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"And what did you think?" Clint asked, eyebrow raised as he leaned down to kiss her again. She moaned into the kiss, her hands sliding from his neck and down his chest. She didn't respond right away as her hands started to pull at the hem of his t-shirt, clearly wanting it off. After forcing herself to break the kiss, she grinned up at him.

"I thought you'd want to kiss me before the night was over, and I thought right." She said as she pulled away from him, heading back over to the couch. She turned the television off and looked back at him. He was still standing over by the sink, watching her with a frown. "Hey, what is it?"

"Nothing. Just... I dunno, how long have you been into me?" He asked, cocking his head to the side. The action made Remy think of a parrot or something, but she resisted on making that comparison to him.

"You want the truth?"

Clint rolled his eyes as he made his way back over to her. "That would be nice."

"Probably the moment I saw your sweaty ass doing laps at SHIELD's gym all those years ago, when I was dating Brock. You know, when I first met you." She told him. He tried to sense if she was joking or not, but Remy looked pretty serious. "Something about you made me feel at ease, and I'm not gonna lie, but meeting you for the first time and you being all shirtless and sweaty was kind of a turn on for me."

"Oh my god."

"Hey, I'm being honest." She retorted, sticking her tongue out at him. "I enjoy sex quite a lot, don't get me wrong, and sex with Brock was _awesome_, but I was never really wanting a serious relationship with him. He was a little to much for me at times, but you? I could see something more serious if you were willing." She suddenly yawned loudly and smacked her lips, blinking tiredly at him. "And maybe I'm just rambling on because I'm crashing from the high the win gave me, but I speak the truth, my friend."

Clint nodded and let out a yawn as well. She rolled her eyes and looked at the clock. "Well, it is late. You can crash here if you want. My bed is big enough for two." She looked at the couch. "Or you could sleep here, but I will warn you, it will try and swallow you up. It's not the most comfiest couch to sleep on."

"I can go back to my place, you know. I'm not drunk or anything." He said, yawning again. Remy rolled her eyes at that.

"Yea, but you are sleepy and have a broken arm. You wouldn't have good reaction time if like, a train came outta nowhere and hit you." She shot back before grabbing hold of his good arm, pulling him toward her bedroom. "We can sleep like responsible adults in the same bed, 'cause I'm pretty damn exhausted and want sleep."

"Can we at least cuddle?" Clint asked, sounding quite serious as he followed her into the bedroom. Remy pulled back the covers of her bed and grinned at him.

"Why, I would have been offended if you didn't cuddle, Agent Barton."

* * *

When Monday came back around, Remy was not very excited. She didn't feel up to going to the office, or sitting in a chair for eight hours, typing outdated nonsense into a machine. If anyone asked how she was doing, she would be honest. She felt miserable. The cramps she was having were painful and she was pretty sure one of her ovaries was trying to escape. Remy hated to miss work over this, but as she made her way into the building and towards the elevator, she was getting closer to just sending an email off to Fury to tell him she needed a personal day, data entry be damned.

But then she saw Clint standing by the elevator door, a doughnut in his mouth as he carried a tray with two cups of coffee. That's what she needed. Coffee. Deciding to ignore the crippling pain of her lower abdomen, Remy marched over to the broken marksman, snatching one of the cups of coffee without so much as a hello to him.

Clint had no idea where she came from, and if she wasn't in so much pain, she would have laughed at the surprised look on his face. The doughnut hanging from his mouth added a nice touch.

"Where the hell did you come from?" He asked after removing the doughnut from his mouth and setting it on the tray. "Scared the hell outta me."

"That's good for you, Agent Barton." Coulson said as he came up from behind them. "To be scared every once in a while."

Clint rolled his eyes and Remy grinned as she turned to Coulson. "Are you coming to check in on us? As you can see, he is still alive. I haven't broken him further." She said as she took a sip of her coffee. She was surprised to find that he went to a different place this time, as the stuff was actually drinkable without half a cup of sugar.

"I am here to bring you to Hill, actually." Coulson told her. "Barton is to go to the office as usual, but you have a meeting with Hill." Both looked unhappy with the news. "It won't take long. Follow me, Black."

Clint and Remy sighed as she followed Coulson away from the elevator. They went to another one, and Remy knew that elevator was the one that accessed the floors higher up. They climbed inside, Remy sipping her coffee while Coulson selected the floor. As the elevator started to ascend, Coulson turned to look at her.

"There was popcorn everywhere in the apartment when I got home last night." He told her with a shake of his head. "Did your team lose?"

Remy sipped her coffee again before responding. "Nah, we won. But I had someone over and it got a little out of hand. I tried to vacuum most of it up, knowing you'd probably murder me if you saw it." She said with a shrug. "I'll get it cleaned better when I get home. Sorry about that."

"Mm, and a whole six pack was gone."

"Oh, well, that one I bought just for Saturday night, and I think I drank most of it." She said, watching the floor numbers flash to the next one. "Good Lord, how long is this going to take? I feel like I'm about to give birth and now I have to see Agent Hill? Kill me now, please. What is it even about?"

Coulson shrugged as they approached their floor. "She told me it had something to do with the mission you were going to go on, that's all."

"Yea, about that." She turned to him. "Why the hell did they consider me for this? I'm not really skillful."

He smiled a bit. They had known each other for a long time now, and Coulson was used to her being this way when something new was brought to her. Last time she said something like that was when Fury told her she would start archiving the old forms for SHIELD. Even though it was a simple enough task, Remy had been worried she would screw it all up and kept assassinated by SHIELD or something.

"You have the right skills for the task, that's why you were picked." Coulson told her. "Not to mention I brought your name up to them about putting you on this team."

"Wait, _you_ are the reason I'm on this mission?"

Coulson nodded. "I was asked to recommend someone and you were the first agent I thought of. This mission will be a good way to ease you into the job, in case you ever change your mind about your career at SHIELD." He told her. "I wouldn't have mentioned you if I didn't think you could handle it."

Remy groaned softly, whether from the discomfort of the cramps or of Coulson trying to advance her career for her. She took a sip of her coffee and looked back at the elevator numbers. "I don't want to work with that Agent Jameson kid. He's an asshole."

"Unfortunately, you're going to have to work with people you don't like at SHIELD." Coulson said, shaking his head. "And you'll have to learn to work past your differences if you're going to succeed with this mission. I know you can handle yourself, Remy, but don't punch him or anything, okay? That wouldn't look to good on your report."

She grimaced. "What if Agent Rumlow punches him for me? Nearly happened when we all met the other day."

"I heard about that. I'm proud that you didn't lose your cool on Agent Jameson."

"Yea, I can't promise that I can always keep it together, though."

The elevator dinged when it arrived at the correct floor. Remy and Coulson stepped off it, him leading her down the hallway to Hill's office. Even though it was just some meeting, Remy felt like she was being lead to the executioner, or worse yet, the headmaster's office from her boarding school days. Those tended to be the worse in her opinion. Coulson gave her a reassuring smile before knocking on the door to Hill's office. Remy felt so tense she barely registered Hill telling them to come in, and it wasn't until Coulson opened the door and nudged her did she finally move.

Hill sat at her desk, not looking entirely thrilled about seeing her, and Remy found the feeling to be mutual. There were two chairs on the other side of Hill's desk, and for some reason, Agent Jameson was sitting in one of them, looking just as smug as he did before Brock got into his face the other day.

"Have a seat, Agent Black." It wasn't an invite, but an order from Hill.

Remy glanced back at Coulson, but he was already closing the door and leaving. Clutching her coffee cup, she scooted her chair away from Agent Jameson before taking a seat. It was either nerves of being in the office or the coffee now in her system that was causing Remy to shake like a leaf. And when Hill turned her attention on her, holding up a folder that read CONFIDENTIAL, Remy thought she would shake out of the chair.

"There are somethings that need to be cleared up before you depart for Seattle in the coming weeks. It's about your family." The Agent said.

Oh, Remy wanted to punch that smug look off of Jameson's face right then and there.

* * *

**Closing Note: **So after this chapter is when the plot begins to unravel a bit more. I do hope folks are enjoying it. As I write Remy, I see more of her come to light and how some folks will either like her and understand her, or completely dislike her. She is human, and she was never meant to be a perfect person, so it's been fun exploring that.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: **I'm still ever so excited people are reading this. It just means a LOT to me. And thank you for those who have reviewed, it also means a lot to me! So thank you so, so much.

I hope y'all are enjoying it still. Here is the 7th chapter, where a bit more of Remy's life comes out. This chapter is almost one continuous scene, so.

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

"What family?" Remy asked as she forced herself to look at the other woman, otherwise she feared she'd deck Jameson. "If you look at my file, it states I have no immediate family."

"That information is redacted." Jameson cut in, a smirk on his face. "I was curious about you so I put your picture in the facial recognition software." Hill rolled her eyes; Remy looked at him, her face unreadable. Obviously this was some lame attempt at revenge after Brock scared him the other day.

"The software we use to track the bad guys. You put my picture in it." It was a deadpanned statement and Remy was wondering what the hell was with this other agent. Jameson still looked smug, as though it was the most brilliant idea ever. "You do know I'm not a bad guy, right?"

"I did. And your picture did come up in the system. However, it was you from when you were 16." He told her. "That was, oh, 12 years ago, wasn't it, Rosemary Paterson?" Remy narrowed her eyes, but she refrained from throwing the coffee at him because she couldn't bring herself to waste the beverage, plus she wanted to see where he was going with this. "You were the daughter of Robert Paterson, who was detained by SHIELD 12 years ago after it was discovered he was funding a bunch of U.S. militia who were essentially homegrown terrorists."

"And?" Remy asked, gritting her teeth. She knew all of this, obviously. She was the damn reason SHIELD was able to get the evidence to arrest him.

"Well, shouldn't SHIELD be worried about someone like you and your history be working here?" Jameson questioned, trying to look thoughtful. It didn't work and Remy turned her attention to Hill.

"Why am I really here exactly?" She asked. "Clearly not for Sherlock Holmes, Jr. here to be telling you something you already knew, Agent Hill." She glanced back at Jameson. "As for that comment, about 'someone like you and your history'? You ever say that to Agent Romanoff or Agent Barton? I'm sure they'd love for you to say that to their faces."

Hill shook her head. "That wasn't the real reason you were brought here, Agent Black. Though, unfortunately, it does tie in with your family."

"I don't _have_ a family." Remy snapped, narrowing her eyes. Hill fixed her with a look that made Remy recoil a bit. "The only person I _can _call family is Agent Coulson, and even that's pushing it."

"You do, you really do. And this family member is our target for our big mission." Jameson said, sounding a little to excited. "Oh, did you not read the file that was delivered to you on Friday? It held the information on our target."

"Stop saying target. You make it sound like you're going to assassinate her." Hill ordered, rubbing her forehead. She was regretting this meeting right now, and she was about to throw them both out of the office if they didn't get to the main purpose of the meeting. "Agent Black, if you didn't read the file, then you wouldn't have known that Nora Clark is actually your cousin, Nora Paterson, from your father's side of the family. She married five years ago to Joel Clark, who runs a successful travel agency out of California that caters to the rich."

"Oh my _god._" Remy blanched and she quickly set her coffee on Hill's desk to keep from dropping it on the floor. "Are you serious? You know she'll recognize me. I mean, she is like, 10 years older than me, but that woman was pretty good at recalling people's faces and details of their personal life. Do you really think I should go on this mission then? I could end up really screwing this up."

"And that is why I brought this to your attention, Agent." Jameson announced, his smugness increasing tenfold. Hill just rolled her eyes again. "Agent Black is a big risk to us."

"This is precisely _why_ Agent Black will be leading the team on this mission." Hill told him pointedly, gesturing to the folder on her desk. "She is not only close to the subject, but she will be able to get into the subject's apartment without to much trouble, which will allow the mission to go off without any problem, understand? Agent Black is skillful at charming people, Agent Jameson, something you sufficiently lack."

Jameson flushed in embarrassment at that and looked at Remy. "Are you _sure_ you can do this? Grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth, but you've been out of that lifestyle for 12 years now, so how can we be sure that you can fool her into getting that close to you? Hm? Will we be able to even trust you?"

Remy rolled her eyes and slumped back in her chair, staring up at the ceiling. "Maybe you'll trust me, maybe you won't, Agent Jameson. But you know, I don't care. I hate to say this, but I don't _need_ a team to get the item back if it's Nora we're confronting, but I know SHIELD wants us to work together to complete this." She told him, still looking at the ceiling. She was trying to keep herself from wanting to punch him in the face. "So we are going to work together and pretend to get along. If all goes well, we will only be there a few days before we're flying back here, okay? I mean, who knows, the worse that will happen is I realize that, oh, I miss my family _sooooo_ much that I decide to reconcile with them and live with my cousin and it's all happily ever after bullshit, but come on, that ain't gonna happen."

Jameson looked speechless and turned to Hill helplessly. Hill gave Remy a look as she sat back in her chair. "You two are free to leave. I do not want to hear about any animosity between the team, understand? Agent Rumlow will keep me informed about what is going on, and I will put you on desk duty for two months if you step out of line, Agent Jameson." She told them. "And you, Agent Black, will be sent out into the field on recovery missions that involve a lot of gunfire. Understand?"

The two nodded. Remy grabbed her coffee, bid Hill farewell, and hurried out the door. It didn't completely surprise her that Coulson was waiting outside the office for her. Agent Jameson followed her out of the office, and looked like he had more to say to her, but one look from Coulson had the younger agent heading down the opposite end of the hallway.

Remy groaned softly and finished off her coffee, which was now room temperature and kind of gross tasting. She discarded the cup in the first trash can she saw, trying to wait until they got to the elevator before she spoke to Coulson. Thankfully, the elevator was empty, and the moment the door was closed and the floor selected, she rounded on Coulson, who seemed to have expected a reaction from her.

"Did you _know_ about this mission?" She asked, raising her voice. "Did you? Did you know Nora was involved in this? Did you _think_ how I would feel about that?! I told you I never wanted to see them again, no matter who it was, but you threw me into the shark pool!"

Coulson nodded, his hands in his pockets as he looked her in the eyes. "I did, yes. Which is another reason I recommended you for this mission. It's been 12 years, Remy, and you never really closed the door on that part of your life." His voice was steady as he spoke, and for some reason, that frustrated Remy even more.

"What the hell, Phil! You knew I wanted nothing to do with them when I left with you!" She was yelling down, her voice filling the elevator. "I wanted nothing to do with them or that lifestyle, that's why I went with you, remember?" Tears started to form in her eyes. Remy was feeling overwhelmed from everything right now, and being on her period did not help in terms of how she was handling this. Everything just seemed worse right now. "I want nothing to do with this stupid mission or stupid Nora and her stupid item, or stupid SHIELD and their stupid everything."

She dissolved in tears, covering her face. Coulson sighed and pulled her into a hug. It wasn't often that this happened, but when Remy cried it was because she had pent up a lot of frustration over a few months. He knew that there was the stress and fear of the mission, not to mention the animosity between her and Jameson, which was really unwarranted. And now to throw her back to the very family she had hated since he first met her all those years ago was really the final nail in the coffin. He just hoped this wouldn't set her back to far in how well she had recovered from them.

He patted her back gently as she cried, not really sure what he could say to comfort her. It was likely she just needed to cry it out for a few minutes, which was fine by him. When they hit the 7th floor, she was finally able to start calming down, and when she did, she pulled away from him and sniffed, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. She was like a scolded child when she looked back at him.

"'m sorry for yelling." She mumbled, sniffling loudly. Coulson shrugged. The elevator dinged when they got to their floor. He walked her to the office, only to stop her before they approached the door.

"Look, you need to understand that this was all done with your benefit in mind." Coulson assured her. "I want you to know that you can do more for SHIELD than just type up things, okay? That's why I recommended you or this mission." Remy nodded, sniffing again before she walked past him and to her office. Coulson sighed and went back to the elevator, leaving her.

When Remy walked in the office, she was surprised to see Agent Romanoff sitting in her chair, talking to Clint. Both agents paused their conversation to greet her, but Clint shot up from his chair, banging his bad arm on the desk as he did. He swore, clutching it as he walked over to her. It was a small office, and it only took him a few steps before Remy was backed up against the door frame, looking up at the broken marksman.

"What's wrong?" He asked, wincing in pain as he studied her face. Remy almost started crying again, touched by how concerned he was, but instead she snorted and covered her mouth, eyes wide. "Dammit, woman, stop laughing at my pain!" He returned to his desk, now sulking as he cradled his throbbing arm.

"How'd your meeting go?" Natasha asked, eyebrow raised. Remy looked slightly alarmed that she knew about it. "Clint told me when I came here to see you."

"Oh, uh, it sucked." Remy admitted with a shrug. She took a moment to wipe her face with her sleeve before looking back at her. "But why'd you come to see me?"

"I know you've had minimal combat training, but Agent Rumlow asked me to work with you a bit before you take off." Natasha said as she stood up from Remy's desk. "I'm free for the next week, so we can meet in the morning before you start your work here. Six in the morning okay?"

Remy groaned while Clint snickered, his pain now forgotten. Natasha raised an eyebrow and looked between the two, awaiting an answer. Eventually, Remy nodded. "Yea, sure, six will be fine."

"Good. We'll start first thing tomorrow." The assassin said with a nod. She said her goodbyes before leaving the office, shutting the door behind her. Remy let out a frustrated groan and fell into her chair. Clint rolled his chair over to her, bumping into her.

"What's wrong?" He asked, still rubbing his arm.

"Nothing and everything all at once." She grunted, going limp in her chair. "I gotta be real right now. Can you handle it? Can you handle this woman being real right now?"

"Depends on how real..." Clint said, looking slightly suspicious at what was about to happen. Remy took that as a yes, taking a deep breath before she let it all out.

"I'm on my damn period right now, I got taken up to a very pointless meeting that basically brought forth a bunch of emotions I've kept locked up for a while, I screamed at Coulson, I then cried on his shoulder, and then I come here and now I have to be at the gym at six am to get my ass kicked by Romanoff." She whined, gesturing wildly as she spoke. "I hate eeeeverythiiiiiing." She sighed. "Especially Agent Jameson."

"Well, everyone in this particular room hates Agent Jameson." Clint chimed in, spinning a bit in his chair. "And I'm sorry you're on your period. That would really suck, I can't imagine." Remy nodded, sniffling just a bit. "Do you need me to do anything? I mean, I can't make it go away, but like. I'll buy you chocolate? Heating pad? Whatever you need to make it feel better."

"Wow, you're a keeper." Remy said with a sniff as she sat up in her chair. "I've had plenty of guys shy away and freak out when I mention my period. You're one of the rare ones that isn't fazed by it."

Clint shrugged. "Doesn't bother me. It's just blood. Nothing I've never seen before. Hell, I've had to use Natasha's tampons before to plug up some bullet wounds before."

"Wow, okay, no need to tell me that." She said, covering her ears. "I don't need to hear about you being shot at, geez."

He chuckled and wheeled himself back over to his desk.

* * *

**Closing Note:** I freaking love writing Hill as just being so done with everyone's shit, so I will have more of her in it. And I also enjoy writing Jameson as well.

And in general, I enjoyed writing this chapter. So, I hope you liked it! I felt it was good to have Remy reach a breaking point with every thing going on, because you know, she is only human. She has her limits of what she can take. And Coulson understands that which is why he didn't reprimand her to much when she yelled at him. But more will happen as time goes on.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: **Here's chapter 8! I feel like I say this every chapter. It is probably slow at times and I apologize! But now it's reaching the middle part of the story where the plot starts to come out more with the mission and junk. I'm gonna try for at least one or two updates a week. So here's the first update for this week. I may try for another one in a few days.

Anyway, enjoy! 

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

It was six in the damn morning. She was day two on her period now, and that was the suckiest part for Remy. She was dressed in a snug t-shirt, bright green sports bra, matching bright green shoes, and track pants when she arrived at the gym that morning. Several other agents were already there, doing a morning work out. Some looked at her curiously, but eventually went back to whatever they were doing. Remy grumbled to herself as she looked around for the red headed assassin. Natasha had said six, and while it was only a minute after six, Remy was about to leave.

A laugh caught her attention. Over by some of the workout equipment was Natasha and Sally Keller, chatting. Except that didn't look like chatting to Remy. No, it looked more like flirting. Her jaw dropped, having never expected that she'd witness Natasha fuckin' Romanoff _laughing_ at something someone said. But she was. Her hand was brushing over Sally's shoulder as she laughed, because apparently Sally said something damn hilarious.

Curious now, Remy made her way over to the two women. Hell, she might as well start talking with Sally since they were going to be working together anyways, but she also wanted to see how Natasha interacted with other agents. Remy had spoken to Natasha occasionally, but it was always SHIELD related, never anything else. So for an opportunity to see the known badass femme fatale flirting so openly with another agent had intrigued Remy a lot.

Natasha caught sight of Remy and gave her a nod, causing Sally to turn around. She gave Remy a grin when she recognized her. Remy set her bag on the ground next to what she suspected was Natasha's own bag, giving the two a sheepish grin.

"I haven't seen you here before, Black." Sally commented, grinning. "This your first time, or are you more of a night person?" It wasn't malicious, what Sally was asking. At least, Remy didn't think so.

"I've come before, but it's not a habit of mine." Remy replied, giving her a smile. "Especially at six in the morning." She looked pointedly at Natasha, who just shrugged.

"Come on. Let's get this going. Sally said she wouldn't mind helping." Natasha said as she made her way over to one of the mats. Sally winked at Remy as she trailed after the assassin. Suppressing a groan, Remy followed after them as she really started to regret this.

* * *

The final blow knocked the wind out of Remy as she was flipped onto her back. She laid there for several minutes, staring up at the ceiling as she tried to figure out how to move. Natasha and Sally looked down at her, both slightly concerned before they grabbed both of her hands, pulling her up to her feet.

"Maybe I shouldn't have done that." Sally said apologetically. She really looked sorry at the surprise attack she did on Remy. The other agent waved her hand dismissively, trying her best not to topple over from exhaustion. "Man, go hit the showers and change clothes. You'll feel better."

"I'm going to go drown myself in the showers." Was Remy's grumbled response as she limped over to her bag. The two women were not gentle with her. Natasha reasoned that if she were attacked on the street or in the field that the attacker would be just as ruthless, and Sally had agreed. So both women put her through hell and Remy feared for her life for the next week. They had arranged to do this up until Sally and Remy left for their mission, though Remy was really _really_ regretting that decision now.

When she got to the locker room, she found a private shower stall and immediately stripped down, trying not to feel too disgusting as her sweaty clothes peeled off her. Once she had the shower going and to the right temperature, she climbed in, letting out a content sigh. She had to be down in the office by eight, and since they had practiced – or more like mauled to death by two trained agents in Remy's case, for a little over an hour and a half, she had time to really soak in the hot water before she tried to find some kind of breakfast.

After fifteen minutes under the hot water, Remy felt clean and ready to face the world. She dried herself off, glad she brought her own towels from home, and wrapped her hair up in one before she pulled on her clean clothes. Most days she wore a skirt and blouse ensemble, but today she felt kind of lazy and opted for a work appropriate dress. She wasn't even going to bother with her hair, it was too much of a beast right now. She removed the towel from her hair and gave her head a shake, her wavy hair looking very much like a tangled furry monster. Oh, whatever. She worked in an office that no one visited and Clint wouldn't care.

As she was leaving, she passed Sally, who gave her a thumbs up and encouraging smile. Remy appreciated that, and returned the gesture. She was going to make it a point to invite the woman out for drinks next time she and Clint went out. Remy would also encourage her to bring Natasha, because why the hell not?

When Remy got to the office, it was ten minutes til eight. She let herself in and took a seat, sighing loudly as she turned her computer on. Back to normal work for now. More entering form after form of old, outdated forms. She was starting to grow weary of this work with everything that was on her mind currently.

For the second time that week – and it was only Tuesday, Remy was tempted to just walk out of the office and go home. She was exhausted, frustrated, hungry, felt like crying and she wanted to punch a wall. But instead of punching the wall, she checked her email. There was an email from Natasha with a schedule of what their workout would be like (Remy noted that Sally had been included in the email as well), as well as a list of foods to eat to keep her energy levels up during the training. Hill had also emailed her, giving her the finalized details of the mission.

The team would leave next Monday, which was sooner than Remy had originally thought. A SHIELD jet would fly them out to the base on the west coast before transporting them up to Seattle. She kept reading the email, noting that they would actually be staying in the hotel, one floor underneath Nora Clark. Remy was to make contact with Nora and go from there while Sally and Agent Jameson waited for her direction. Once the mission was complete, they would be allowed a day in Portland before returning to D.C..

Ugh, maybe Remy could bring back some of those Voodoo Doughnuts she heard so much about on the travel channel and internet. They were based in Portland, so she could probably swing by and pick some up.

The third email was from Fury. He said her request for a new office was accepted, and that she would be able to use it once she returned from the west coast. That was perfect for her, but she decided not to tell Clint, otherwise he would beg her to just move _now_ so he wouldn't suffer to much when she was gone.

Speak of the Devil, because Clint Barton waltzed into the office, a tray of coffee being held by his good hand while the other one tried its best to grip the bag that seemed to contain food. Remy's eyes lit up and she rescued the bag before it could fall to the ground. When she opened it, she moaned, retrieving one of the breakfast sandwiches from inside.

"You're awesome." She said as she unwrapped it, taking a bite. Clint rolled his eyes as he set the tray down on her desk before pulling his chair over to her.

"Not even a good morning. I see where your priorities lie." He grunted as he grabbed one of the coffees. Remy was nice enough to unwrap his sandwich for him, holding it out to him as a peace offering. He took it, but still looked sulky as he took a bite. She laughed at that, shaking her head at his behavior.

"Fine, fine." She relented. "Good morning, Agent Barton."

"Hmph. Good morning, Agent Black." He replied, sipping his coffee. "Did you get your ass kicked this morning?"

"Ugh, yes." Remy took another bite of her sandwich. "Got double teamed, too. Agent Romanoff _and_ Agent Keller worked with me. The training ended when Agent Keller flipped me onto my back and I couldn't get up for a few minutes."

"Ouch. She's pretty brutal." He said. "I think she has training in all kinds of martial arts, so I'm not surprised she's joining in."

Remy nodded, sipping her coffee. "But she's awesome. I'm gonna see if she wants to go out to drinks on Friday. We're still on, right?"

"Hell yea."

"Good. I was gonna invite Agent Romanoff too."

"Sounds good to me." Clint sipped his coffee, leaning back in his seat. "It'll be nice to go out drinking with Tasha. She's fun."

"Yea? Good to know." Remy replied as she quickly finished the rest of her sandwich. "Mrmph, okay, gotta get to work. Got things to do, stuff to type, things to eat."

* * *

The day went by pretty fast, all things considering. Remy was incredibly sore and exhausted from the morning workout, and she figured she was going to feel that way for the rest of the week. Once she was logged out and the computer turned off, she waited for Clint to do the same. They left the office together after collecting their things and she locked the door behind her. She winced as she pulled her coat on, her back sore from being thrown onto the mat so much.

"I know some stretches that will help you get ready before each session, you know." Clint said as they approached the elevator. "I know you aren't a fan of exercising, but these ones are good for people who aren't used to this sort of thing."

"Ugh, maybe? I can barely move my arms as it is." She whined softly, slumping against him. He just shook his head as he pushed the down button for the elevator. "Pretty sure I'm gonna need someone to dress and undress me."

Clint chuckled. "You'll be like a life sized doll or something."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped on, Remy leaning back into Clint once the correct floor was selected. She sighed and closed her eyes, feeling ready to just fall asleep right then and there. Clint nudged her gently when the doors opened and other agents stepped inside, some looking at the two curiously. Remy didn't really care if the other agents saw, but she knew that there was no _real_ confirmation that her and Clint were dating or whatever, and she didn't want to make him uncomfortable, so she straightened up, took a few steps away from him, and smiled sweetly at the agents.

The rest of the ride down was slightly uncomfortable. Two of the agents kept glancing back at the marksman and data clerk, wondering if _something_ was going on. It was known, for the most part, that Clint was assigned to desk duty until he was fully healed, but that was it. They didn't know the details of what his job was, but they just knew to expect him around the offices a little more often. And Remy, well, they sort of knew who she was, mostly that she enjoyed doing the data entry work no one else liked to do, and that she had a relationship with Agent Rumlow years ago, as well as with a few other agents since. At least, that's what they had heard.

When the elevator reached the desired floor, everyone stepped off. Clint waited until Remy was off as well before they made their way to the parking garage together. She unlocked her car when she got to it, groaning as she threw her gym bag into the trunk. It hurt to even turn the key for her car, and it would probably hurt just as much driving. She was really out of shape and it really showed in the discomfort she was having.

Clint watched this and shook his head. "Dammit, woman." He sighed as he ignored his own vehicle, instead going over to her and snatching her keys from her hand. "Get in. I'm gonna drive you home."

"Aw, what? I'm fine." She protested, reaching up to snatch her keys back. The movement was just as painful as unlocking her car and she winced. Clint rolled his eyes.

"Get in." He ordered, nudging her away from the driver side door. She huffed in annoyance but complied, rolling her eyes as well.

"Fine."

They climbed into her car and drove in silence for the most part, until Remy gave directions on the best way to get to her apartment. When he parked along the street near her building, something dawned on her.

"Wait a minute." She turned to look at him. "Are you gonna stay the night then?"

Clint shrugged as he got out of the car. He opened the trunk and retrieved her gym bag while she slowly climbed out of the car. He went to the door to her building, waiting for her to join him. Sighing, she grabbed her purse and followed after him, punching in the security code.

"No, really, are you gonna stay the night?" She asked, trying not to sound hopeful.

"Well, I hoped you wouldn't mind." He said as they headed up the stairs to her floor. "You were in no condition to drive, and I thought I'd show you some of the stretches to help alleviate some of the stiffness."

Remy nodded, humming in agreement as she unlocked the door to her apartment. They both slipped their shoes off – Clint hung his coat up and dumped her gym bag on the floor while Remy tossed her purse into her bedroom and went to the bathroom for some pain killers. The other bedroom door was closed, like it had been when Clint first came by a few days ago. Shrugging, he headed to the kitchen to get himself a class of water. Remy emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later carrying an electric heating pad and having changed into some lounge clothes.

"I'm pretty sure I just want to lay on the couch all night." She said with a sigh, tossing the heating pad onto the couch. "I think my ovaries are trying to escape."

"Nope, we're gonna do some work out stuff. Move the couch or something so you have room to stretch out." Clint ordered from the kitchen before finishing his cup of water. "Can't have you getting hurt during your workout." He frowned. "And as for the ovary problem, just...don't let them escape?"

Remy grumbled to herself and rolled her eyes as she pushed the coffee table out of the way. Then it clicked. With a flirtatious smile, she turned to face Clint. Yea, she was gonna try to seduce him now to get out of this. And the seduction was going to be over the top.

"You know, Agent Barton..." She purred, batting her eyelashes. He gave her a funny look. "If you were _really_ wanting to 'loosen me up', you should have said something."

"Oh my god." The other agent practically yelled. "Are you trying to seduce me or something?" He set his empty glass down. "I'm a professional, ma'am, and I came here to help you out!"

And she couldn't help it. She laughed. He generally looked offended, but it was all an act. Because while she was doubled over laughing, he was already trying to pull his jacket and t-shirt off at the same time. And when she looked up and saw he was tangled up because of the cast, she laughed even harder.

"Okay, fine, keep laughing." Came his disgruntled voice hidden in the layer of clothes. "See if I kiss you tonight."

"Pretty sure all I wanna do tonight is kiss..." Remy replied, grinning as she tried to rescue him from the clothes. "So let's go to my room already."

* * *

**Closing Note: **I'm having fun writing their relationship with their banter and flirting. And kissing. Can't leave out the kissing. I also enjoy writing Nat and Sally from time to time, which is why I want to try and randomly throw them in. I hope y'all enjoyed!


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** Okay honestly the last half of this chapter was fun to write. And I'm excited that people are reading this! Gah, I love you all so much. I do hope you're enjoying this.

I decided to post another chapter quick in honor of the second Avengers movie coming out this week. So instead of the random weird two updates, I'll probably do three, because why not? I do plan to take this story all the way up to the Winter Soldier, even though this part hasn't reached the events of the first Avengers movie yet, but it will. Enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

Remy didn't know how she did it, but she survived the week. It was Friday now, thank _God_, and Natasha didn't make any plans for extra stuff on the weekend. That meant Remy could sleep in on Saturday and not have to worry about getting even more bruises all over her body than were necessary. And come Monday, she would be heading out to the west coast with the team to do that mission.

Natasha had talked with Remy about the mission, telling her to relax and not to worry about it. The other two knew what they were doing, and all Remy had to do was be charming. Sally assured her that she would look out for Remy (she said this _after_ throwing Remy to the ground and twisting her arm behind her back) and she would kick Agent Jameson's ass if it called for it.

Though grateful for their words and the time they spent with her, Remy was not going to miss these 6 A.M. workouts, or what she referred to them as 'torture sessions'.

But now it was Friday. And she was finished for the week, and subsequently, most of the following week as well. She still hadn't told Clint that they would be moving offices next week, and she was intending on doing her best to keep it a secret until she came back. Except she was so excited to be going out that night with him and some others, Remy was sure she'd spill the beans the second she started throwing back shots.

Remy and Clint agreed to meet at the pub that night around seven, which gave them a few hours to go to their own apartments to get ready. Sally had sent Remy a text saying she and Natasha would arrive a little after seven, as they were planning on getting dinner beforehand. Remy was totally fine with that.

She arrived home a little after five and took the time to get ready. A light dinner, shower, and getting dressed ended up actually taking almost two hours. At a quarter to seven, she was giving up on trying to fix her hair as she ran out the door, purse and phone in hand as she hurried out of the building. The pub wasn't actually far from her apartment, so she was glad to walk there.

Clint was waiting outside, looking comfortable in jeans and a hoodie. He was fiddling with his cellphone, glancing up occasionally as he waited for her. Grinning, she sauntered up to him, exaggerating the swaying of her hips.

"How much, big boy?" She teased, a hand on her hip as she looked him over. Clint looked up in surprise, only to grin, shrugging as he played along.

"I doubt you could afford me." He retorted as he pocketed his phone. "Buy me two beers and we can discuss business." Clint gave her a quick peck on the lips before leading her inside the pub, taking a table closest to the emergency exit. They sat next to each other, knowing that their friends would join them soon. Remy ran her fingers through her hair and winced. Her hair was still incredibly damp from her shower. Clint seemed to notice this and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, forget how to use a towel or something?"

"Oh hush." She grumbled as she tucked some loose strands behind her ears. "I lost track of time, okay, because I was _trying_ to go for a sexy Bond girl sort of look." While she was going for that look with the sleeveless red dress she was wearing, Remy also wore black Converse sneakers, as she figured she would need better running shoes should something happen.

Clint leaned back in his seat, giving her a good look over. "Yea, I'd say you pulled it off." He told her, putting his arm around her shoulder as he pressed his lips to her temple. Remy huffed softly and leaned into him, folding her arms across her chest.

"Yea, I know." She replied, rolling her eyes. "I'm a sexy beast."

A waiter came and took their order for drinks before dashing off again. Clint ordered a beer while Remy opted for vodka and cranberry juice. She wanted something to help her relax from the intense week she had. They were making small talk about work, and just as Remy was about to launch into a rant about Agent Jameson, Natasha and Sally walked up.

"Oh, we talkin' shit about Jameson?" Sally asked, grinning as she took a seat. "Let me tell you something. Agent Rumlow destroyed that kid the other day in the ring. I don't know what was going on, but it sounded like Jameson was trying to get someone to box with him, and was acting like a tough guy. So Rumlow offers and I have never seen someone look so regretful so fast. And it barely lasted a minute before Rumlow knocked his ass down."

"Please tell me there's video evidence of this." Remy begged. Sally brought up the video and held out her phone to Remy.

"Right here."

"Thank the lord." Remy took the phone gleefully, watching the short video of the agent getting knocked to the ground. If she had the chance, Remy would have watched that video several times over, but opted to watch it twice before returning the phone. "That was beautiful. I think I want that projected on my tombstone or something should I die on this mission."

"Wasn't it? It will be fun to see how the two are come Monday." Sally said, grinning. "And you're not gonna die on the mission, so put that out of your head right now. This is going to be an easy thing to do, and you won't even have to handle a gun, okay?"

The waiter stopped by with Clint and Remy's drinks before taking the other two orders and dashing off again. Remy stirred her drink before taking a sip, leaning back in her chair as she looked over the other two women. Natasha had opted for fitted jeans and a jacket, while Sally was rocking a skirt and blouse. Remy tried to keep from grinning when she watched Sally reach over to Natasha, brushing a strand of hair out of the female assassin's eyes. It was so... domestic or something to see them both like this. She almost couldn't stand it.

The night continued after all the drinks were delivered. Clint ordered a second beer, having already finished his first, and Remy pointed out that she would cover those two beers and that was it, and that he was now on his own. He just shrugged and stole a sip of her drink before leaning back in his seat. She huffed in annoyance, both from him taking her drink and from the other two agents laughing.

They made small talk. Remy was really intrigued to have Natasha talk, and the female assassin did tell her of some of things she had done in her time at SHIELD, which almost made Remy want to become an assassin like her. But that would mean firing a gun and she wasn't up for that.

Clint was nursing his second beer and Remy was now on her second drink as well. Sally had ordered vodka and orange juice, while Natasha was content with a rum and coke. It was a pleasant enough evening, and they chatted for several hours before Sally yawned and checked her watch.

"Wow, shit, it's 10pm." She mumbled, raising an eyebrow. "I gotta be up early tomorrow, so I need to call it a night." She got up and headed to the bar so she could pay her tab faster. Natasha stretched out a bit in her seat.

"I'm going to head out too." She told them. Sally came back a few minutes later, pocketing her receipt. "Aw, did you get my drink too?"

"Of course." Sally kissed her cheek and turned to the other two. "Remy, I'll see you Monday. Our flight leaves at eight in the morning, and it's about a non-stop five hour flight, so be ready."

Remy groaned softly and nodded. "Yea, I'm ready." Even though she wasn't. She _hated_ flying and had a crazy intense fear about it. She planned to drug herself to keep from panicking to much on the flight. "I'll see you two later, okay? Have a great weekend."

"You too." Natasha replied with a smirk before she and Sally left. Clint sighed and started to get his wallet out.

"Ready?" He asked. She took his wallet from him and stuck it into his hoodie pocket.

"Uh, hello, I'm paying." She reminded him before grabbing her purse and leaving. He was about to protest, but she was already gone. He finished his beer and stood up, following her over to the bar. Once she closed the tab, they left, stepping outside into the cool air. She pulled Clint towards her, pressing her face against his chest as she mumbled incoherently.

"Please tell me you're not drunk." The marksman said, wrapping his arms around her.

She looked up at him, making a face. "No. I just like that you're warm and I don't wanna go on this mission and leave you to fend for yourself in the office."

"Well, you're sweet to be concerned for me, but everything will be fine." He assured her, kissing the tip of her nose. "So focus on what you have to get done and don't worry about me."

"Yea, but..."

"No, don't." He kissed her on the lips this time to shut her up. If she started worrying now, she would start to have trouble focusing on the primary objective of the mission. Once he broke the kiss, she blinked slowly and focused back on him.

"Wow, okay, so I was going to say, 'Yea, but we have a new office when I come back and I want to get in there sooner rather than later'." She told him, shaking her head. "But no, _someone_ had to be rude and interrupt me."

"Oh."

"Yea, but let's go back to my apartment and you can kiss me again, okay?"

* * *

It was either the smell of bacon that woke her, or the obnoxious car horn from the street below. She wasn't sure, but she knew she was awake. And with being awake, Remy realized how sore she was all over, and it wasn't just from the week's worth of working out. Groaning, she forced herself out of bed, pulled on a tank top and shorts, and headed out to the kitchen. Her eyes widened at the sight that greeted her and she hoped to God she would remember it forever.

Because Clint fucking Barton was in her kitchen wearing only boxers, singing 'American Pie', and was busy cooking bacon and eggs and god knows what else. It smelled amazing and Remy wanted some, but she also wanted to take in the view a bit longer.

"Okay, you gonna help me or keep staring, you creep?" Clint asked, not looking up. "I managed to find the food, but I don't remember where your plates and silverware are."

"I'd like to keep staring, but I guess if I want breakfast, I'll have to help." She replied as she made her way over to him. She pinched his ass before moving around him to grab some plates and forks to set on the table. Once that was done, she went to get the coffee ready. This was the coffee she lived for, as it was always the best in the world.

Breakfast was finished minutes later and they both ate in silence. It was the first home cooked breakfast Remy had had in a long time, and she wanted to savor it, but at the same time she just wanted to finish eating so she could go make out with the marksman for a while. Clint seemed to want to hurry as well, because his food was gone from his plate pretty fast and he was already heading to the sink with his dish. She finished right after him, hurrying over and scooting in front of the sink to block him.

"Nope, I'm gonna wash them." She insisted as she set her plate in the sink. "You cooked so you get to sit and watch."

He rolled his eyes and reached around her, placing his plate in the sink. Then he wrapped his good arm around her torso, pulling her back towards him as he pressed his lips to her shoulder. "Can't you do that later?" He whispered, gently nipping at her skin. Remy nodded and pushed him back gently before stepping away from the sink and towards counter space, hopping up on it. Clint grinned as he stepped between her legs, wrapping them around his waist as he kissed her. His hand was starting to slide up her tank top when someone behind them cleared their throat.

"What is the _one_ rule about sex in the apartment?"

Clint froze, eyes widening as he pulled his hand away from her. Remy just laughed, leaning back against the cupboards as she moved her legs away from Clint. When Clint turned around, he was damn well startled to see fucking Agent Phil Coulson standing next to the table, half asleep and not very happy looking.

"Sex stays in the bedroom." Remy recited, rolling her eyes. Coulson nodded and walked past them to the coffee pot, pouring himself a cup before he headed back to his room. Meanwhile, Clint stood there, not making a move as Remy tried to pull him back towards her. "Okay, where were we?"

"Oh, no, wait, I did not know about this." Clint said as he looked back at Coulson's door. "I didn't know you two lived together. How does that work exactly? I'm kind of confused right now." He kept his eyes on the door as Remy tried to distract him with kisses and light touches on his chest, but it wasn't working.

Sighing, she pushed him back and hopped off the counter. "Phil became my guardian shortly before I turned 16. After SHIELD detained my father and destroyed his life, there was nowhere for me to go, and like, Coulson has this thing about strays or something, I dunno, because he took me in so I wouldn't end up in the foster system. And … I've been here ever since." She explained as she took Clint by the hand, leading him back to her room. "I mean, yea, eventually I'll move out and on my own, but with him gone so much on missions, I'm pretty much here on my own anyways, so it doesn't bother us. The only rule is that sex stays in the bedroom, and he kind of knew you and I have a thing."

"Oh god." Clint groaned, covering his face. "I don't know why I feel so awkward about this, but I do. It's like being caught by a parent or something."

"Okay, but at least he didn't threaten you." Remy told him. Maybe it was supposed to be comforting. "I mean, he threatened Brock when I first brought him over. And you know Rumlow, guy doesn't show fear, but Phil has that way of scaring people and he terrified Brock. It was beautiful."

Clint groaned again and fell into her bed, burying himself under some pillows. He was just not anticipating Agent Coulson seeing him in his boxers and making out with another agent in the kitchen. It was not a scenario he ever imagined he'd be in.

Remy leaned down and patted him on the head. "At least you weren't naked. He might have tazed you for that."

That didn't help.

* * *

**Closing Note: **The roommate is revealed. And I realized the other day that I've been building up Remy's character and story since around February. She went through many changes before I decided on the character she is now, so it's been fun watching her evolve. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because like I said, I enjoyed writing the last part.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: **So I saw Age of Ultron and loved it. So in honor of the movie coming out, here's a third update this week!

And here is the 10th chapter. This was where I did a frantic re-write so I apologize it if's a weird chapter. And yes the story is very Remy-centric.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

The plane ride wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Remy only threw up twice on the flight. Jameson looked like he wanted to make a comment, but one glare from Sally shut him up. During the rest of the flight, Sally read a book while Brock looked like he wanted to jump from the plane and be done with them all. The rest of the strike team kept to themselves, and occasionally Remy could hear them laughing about something. Remy was just trying to keep herself together, and she wished she could find a way to distract herself like everyone else had done. The only idea that came to her was to recite the play _Everyman_ under her breath. And for the whole trip, that's what she did, not stopping even when Brock gave her the occasional funny look.

It was raining when they landed. And raining when they ran to the awaiting SUVs that would take them the two and a half hour drive up to Seattle. And it rained the entire damn way, only stopping briefly when they drove through the state capital, but it picked up once they were out of the Nisqually basin. Once they parked their unmarked SUV in the parking garage of the hotel, another one pulled up beside them. It was Brock and his small team, and the four of them didn't look to thrilled about the weather.

Sally and Brock both agreed to go check into the hotel rooms, leaving the rest of them loitering near the cars. Remy wasn't thrilled with the idea of being stuck with Jameson, but she sucked it up and waited around with him and the other guys. No one said anything, instead glaring around at anyone who walked by. Anyone who walked in the garage quickly made their way to the elevator, not daring to look the three strike team members who looked like they wanted to kill the first person to cross them. Remy attributed their moods to the weather.

About ten minutes later, the other two returned and the rest followed them back to the elevators. Brock and his team were in a room on a floor above Nora's, while Remy and the other two were on the floor below her. The room was pretty nice, and Remy appreciated what SHIELD could do for their agents like this. Granted, she knew she wasn't meant to enjoy it or be on vacation, but Remy was really tempted to order room service and be pampered.

Jameson dropped the bags on one of the beds and sighed, putting his hands on his hips as he tried to figure out what to do first. He began unzipping a bag that contained a laptop, which he immediately hooked up and turned on, pulling up some programs and files. Sally opened another one of the bags and pulled out a small bag, them promptly dumped the contents onto her hand. They looked like hearing aids, but Remy figured they were communicators of some kind. Sally placed one in her ear before handing one to Remy.

"Ever use one of these before?" She asked as Remy looked it over. "It allows us to stay in contact with each other, and if you're talking to someone, we can hear every detail. It will come in handy when you get into contact with Nora Clark."

Nodding, Remy placed it in her ear and frowned. It felt weird to her and she resisted pulling it back out. "You'll get used to it." Sally assured her with a grin. "Hey, let's go get some food downstairs. I'm starving."

"Yea, I could use a decent meal." Remy replied as she grabbed her purse. "I think I emptied out my stomach enough times on the plane to eat a few burgers or something."

"Pretty sure you don't need to eat anymore." Jameson muttered under his breath. Sally threw his ear piece to him.

"Boy, I will throw you out the damn window if you keep mouthing off." She snarled, fists clenched as she narrowed her eyes. "And I will be thanked on bended knee for it! Hell, might even get a medal!" She composed herself a moment later, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. "Look, we're going to find food. If you can keep your trap shut, you can come with us, all right?"

"I'll stay here." He shot back, face flushed from anger. Or was it embarrassment? Remy wasn't sure. "There's work to be done, you know."

"Yea, work." Sally replied with a roll of her eyes. Not wanting to get further into it, she took Remy by the wrist and pulled the other agent out of the room. She was still seething by the time they got to the elevator. "I'm going to throw him out of the damn window. Or drown him in the tub. Something like that."

"He's a prick. I don't see how Hill allowed him to stay on this team." Remy said as she pressed the button for their desired floor. "I mean, geez, I don't get why he has singled me out like that. I think I met him once, like, years ago? But I didn't even remember his name until the meeting."

The elevator arrived and they stepped off, heading to the hotel's restaurant. "Get Coulson to interrogate him. Bet he'll talk then."

"Nah." Remy shook her head as they found a table. "I mean, maybe he asked me for a date and I turned him down? He's forever burned by it? Who knows. He could just be a dick in general, though."

"Let's agree that he's just a dick in general." Sally said with a grin as she took a seat. Laughing, Remy sat across from her, shaking her head.

"I like you. Please stick around." Remy practically begged. "Don't go off and leave after this."

"Nah, I'll probably stay for a while." Sally replied, smiling at the waitress when they were brought water. "I like what the place has to offer."

Remy grinned at that and nodded in agreement as she took a sip of her water. She had always liked being at the Triskelion and hoped to always be there, but she knew there could come a day when she was reassigned. It happened frequently, and once Clint was fully healed, there was a chance he would be reassigned as well. That was something she didn't want to think about just yet.

The two started chatting, and Remy was pleased to find out they had similar interests; soccer being the biggest one. Sally was a fan of the European teams mostly, but she enjoyed the MLS ones as well. Movies were another thing, especially because they both enjoyed Disney movies. Remy was sure she found her soul mate by the time they ordered food.

She was about to ask Sally her favorite Disney movie when the other woman straightened up, a serious look on her face. "That's her." Sally murmured, eyes fixed on someone behind Remy. "Turn slowly, okay?"

Nodding, Remy chanced a glance behind her and swallowed heavily. It had been over ten years, but Remy was able to recognize her cousin. Whether or not Nora would recognize Remy was another thing, but if Remy could pull it off, they would be fine. However, they needed a way for Nora to recognize Remy, and not the other way around. The two agents just needed some kind of distraction.

And then Brock and his boys came in, taking a seat near one of the exits. Nora was being seated over by a window, only a few tables away from Remy and Sally. A few minutes after, Jameson came wandering in, a frown on his face as he looked for his team mates. With a sigh, he made his way over to them, standing over their table.

"I came to apologize." He grumbled, not making eye contact. Both women were shocked by this and Jameson looked like he wanted to throw himself into a fire. It was as though it was causing him physical pain to apologize to them. "My behavior has not been professional."

He spoke so quietly that it was hard to hear, and while Remy appreciated it, she knew this could be their best chance at getting Nora to see her. She locked eyes with Sally and nodded. Without a word, Sally lifted up her water glass and threw it in Jameson's face.

"How DARE you!" Sally shrieked as she jumped to her feet. "I demand that someone remove you from my sight! Who do you think you are, coming up to me and my friend, asking how much we charge? Do we look like prostitutes to you?!"

Well, that got everyone's attention. Brock and his boys immediately stopped talking and looked up, as did Nora. Hell, the whole restaurant quieted down, their attention on Jameson. He was dripping wet, looking humiliated and angry. Remy had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing while Sally continued on a tirade at him.

Brock and Rollins stepped in, arms flexed as they surrounded him on both sides. "We'll take care of him for you, ma'am." Rollins told Sally as he grabbed Jameson by the elbow.

"Don't worry, he'll learn how to properly treat women." Brock chimed in as they dragged Jameson from the restaurant. Several patrons applauded their actions while the manager rushed over to Sally. They stepped away from the table – Sally still angry and shrieking about perverts and pimps, and how could a fine establishment like this let some ruffian in like him?

Remy reached for her water and looked up, her eyes locking with Nora. The other woman frowned, tilting her head to the side before she got up and approached the table. This was it. Remy's heart was pounding; her hand was shaking as she raised her glass to her lips, taking a little sip. She frowned as Nora approached, as though she was trying to place a name to a face.

Nora stood there, hands clasped in front of her as she looked the younger woman over. The last time Remy saw her cousin was when she was 13 and home for Christmas. Nora was about to graduate from college with a degree in business, and that was all anyone could talk about. No one dared bring up how Remy had been in trouble at school again, and how she was being transferred to a boarding school upstate instead of out of the country, much to her parents' disgust.

"Rosemary?" The older woman asked, a look of disbelief on her face. Remy's eyes widened in recognition and she gasped. Nora choked back a sob as she threw her arms around the agent, hugging her tightly. "It is you, isn't it? I can't believe it! It's been far to long!"

Remy hugged her back, though it was taking everything in her not to shove the woman away from her. If she played her cards right, everything would work out. She just had to play up the emotions and work magic with Nora.

"Cousin Nora!" Remy cried, burying her face into her shoulder. "I can't believe it's you, after all of these years!"

People were starting to look at them. Sniffing, Nora pulled out of the hug and dragged Remy over to her table, taking a seat. Remy sat down as well, drying her eyes with a napkin.

"I just... I can't believe it. Of all places." Nora murmured, smiling as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I think the last time I saw you was when you were... 12? 13? That was so long ago. What happened to you?" She looked around as she lowered her voice. "What happened after your father was arrested?"

Remy bit down on her lip, suddenly looking nervous. She glanced around the restaurant, trembling slightly before she looked back at her cousin. "I... I can't talk here. I'm afraid they're still following me... they have people everywhere, you know?"

"Who?" Nora asked, frowning. Remy leaned in towards her, lowering her voice to just a whisper.

"SHIELD."

Nora's eyes widened at that. She stood back up from her table and grabbed the younger woman by the arm, pulling her away from the table. As they hurried out, Remy passed Sally, who had her arms linked with both Rollins and Brock, asking who was going to buy her a drink first. The two female agents looked at each other as they passed. Remy winked at her before she and Nora disappeared around a corner.

"You must tell me everything when we get to my room." Nora whispered, looking around nervously as they ducked into the elevator. Remy nodded, taking note of the woman's sudden behavior change. This wasn't just nervousness, but also some paranoia and fear thrown in. Remy wondered what SHIELD had done to Nora in the past to make her so jittery at just the mention of their name. She decided not to dwell on that, however, since she was already several steps closer to the main mission objective.

Nora let them into her room, still looking nervous as she shut and bolted the door behind them. Once they were inside, she relaxed a little, going over to the couch and taking a seat. The suite was just as large as Remy saw in the blueprints, and she couldn't believe it. From the living room she could see the door to the master bedroom, which was where that hidden closet was. She couldn't believe how close she was.

She took a seat on the couch next to Nora, who smiled at her cousin.

"I'm sorry...but we can't be too careful." She told Remy sadly. "SHIELD cannot be trusted, you know. They ruined your family's life, and I refuse to let them take you away from me again." Nora pulled Remy back into her arms, holding her to her chest. Remy wanted to pull back, to gasp for air, but she needed Nora's trust and sympathy if this was going to work, so she allowed it. "What happened to you after that whole mess, my darling cousin? They say you were home when it all happened, but you were supposed to be in school? Why were you there?"

* * *

**Closing Note: **Today I came to a realization about Jameson and it clicked so well I had to resist freaking out. I apologize again for the mess of a chapter, and if something doesn't make sense, let me know and I will try to answer it if it is not spoilery for the story.

Thank you for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: **Aw snap. I have finished writing the final chapter for the first part of this story, so I decided to post a new chapter! Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

Well, shit. Remy tried to think fast. "I had an abortion and the school expelled me!" She blurted out, eyes wide. Nora pulled back from her, looking down with concern. Remy's eyes were wide and she was trembling a bit, which Nora took as a sign that this was deeply upsetting for her. In reality, Remy was just hoping she'd buy the false story.

"You poor thing!" Nora was hugging her once more, weeping. Remy wanted to get out of there right then and there, but she knew she needed to keep sweet talking Nora. She had to somehow get Nora to tell her about the object or _something_. "I can't believe this! What happened?"

"My... my English teacher happened." Remy choked out, somehow forcing tears to form in her eyes. "And I found out I was pregnant, I couldn't bring shame to the family name like that! I … I had the procedure done but officials caught me when I was coming back onto campus. So they expelled me and I was sent home. That's why I was there when those men came and raided the house to arrest father like that."

"Oh, darling!" Nora kept hugging her, tightening her arms around the younger woman. Remy was certain her eyes were going to bulge out of her head, so she gently pulled away from Nora, drying her eyes. She could finally breath easily now.

"I wish they didn't take me away, but they wouldn't let me go to my family." Remy sniffled. "They took all of my family's stuff away, claiming evidence for the trial. They even took my stuff! I... I hate SHIELD! They ruined my life!" Big fat tears rolled down her cheeks as she broke down sobbing.

Nora handed her a tissue and smiled sadly. "I'm so sorry that happened. If I had known, I would have taken you in."

'_Yea, right._' Remy thought as she dabbed at her eyes. "They wouldn't let me contact my family...they... they held me captive!" She cried as the tears started again. "I was kept in some sort of room until I was 18, and they finally released me... I guess because I was old enough or something to be on the streets."

"You poor thing!" Nora exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "I cannot believe how you were treated! They will pay for this, you know. I will make certain of it."

"They're a world wide agency!" Remy wailed. "What could you do!"

Nora hugged her again, holding her tightly to her chest. "My darling cousin, don't worry. There is a new world order on its way in the next few years, and I'm helping." The far off look in Nora's eyes was slightly creepy. "Those men your father was helping all those years ago? They are apart of it. They want to make our world a better place, suitable only for people like us, you know, the ones who matter. We're the ones who help make this planet the beautiful place that it is."

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Remy whispered, her eyes wide. Nora smiled at her and stood up from the couch. She headed to the bedroom, and Remy could hear the sounds of movement in there. Holy shit, was this it? Was she bringing the item out? Nora returned after a few minutes, a black metal box in her hands.

"This is one of the keys to the new world order." Nora told her, the far off look returning to her eyes. "I'm here to speak with a man about it, because he is part of orchestrating all of this. He is the head of this many armed machine that will know who is worthy and who isn't." She set the metal box down on the table, stroking the lid of it delicately before she flipped the latch up.

And there it was. The little orb didn't look threatening in the slightest, but Remy knew this was something of Howard Stark's, and that meant it could be quite dangerous. Hesitantly, Remy reached out to touch it, but Nora caught her wrist.

"No, don't. It's not safe." She whispered; Remy pulled her arm back and looked at her cousin in alarm. This was getting far to creepy. "The man needs it, and he's going to make more of them for the militia to get everything in order."

"Oh, okay..." Remy nodded, listening to the insane babbling. Nora closed the lid and took the box back to her room, to which Remy followed her. The older woman continued on about new world order, about how many arms were in place for this supposed monster. It sounded like nonsense, but Remy tried to think about where she had heard this type of thing before, and yet she couldn't recall. Sighing, she took a seat on the bed, watching her. Nora pulled a giant painting off the wall and set it aside. There was a wall safe behind there, and as Nora began to turn the dial on the lock, Remy focused in on her fingers, watching when they turned the three digit combination.

The door opened and Nora stuck the box inside. The inside of the safe was all black, but there was an eerie red design etched into the back of it. This was confusing, because it was a hotel. Why would there be such personalization in it?

"The man is coming in two days to retrieve the item." Nora said wistfully, a smile on her face. "And it will begin."

"Where did that item come from, Nora?" Remy asked, trying to sound innocent, but in reality, she hoped Sally was able to hear this entire conversation through the ear piece. And she hoped it was being recorded, because damn.

"Why, your father of course!" Nora replied, a little too happily.

* * *

Sally was sipping a beer as she listened to the conversation above her take place. She had to say, she was impressed by Remy's acting abilities. The crying was a very nice touch. And Nora's nonsense babble was interesting to listen to, but she knew there was something behind it. The rambles about a new world order, and how this many armed machine would help with it. Sally tried to think of what this could mean, but nothing about it sounded familiar to her.

Jameson, Brock, and the rest of the strike team were in the room with her. The four muscular men were playing a round of cards while Jameson was looking things up on his laptop. She rolled her eyes, wondering why there were this many people on this mission since clearly it was only her and Remy actually doing anything. Sally took another sip of her beer, feeling frustrated by the team already. She hoped Remy would be okay, given that Nora just said something about Remy's father.

Sally turned up the volume and continued to listen.

* * *

"I'm sorry, my father?" Remy asked incredulously, eyes widening. Nora smiled brightly.

"Yes, your father!" She said. "You see, his father came into possession of it, and then passed it onto dear Uncle Robert, who passed it to his brother – my father, shortly before SHIELD arrested him. My father then gave it to me a few years ago to keep safe, and I've had it ever since."

Remy nodded slowly, her eyes on the safe now. This just got way more intense than she had anticipated. This was not what she signed up for and she was going to demand Coulson buy her many drinks after this to make up for the emotional crap she was feeling. Nora sighed as she placed a palm on the safe, gently caressing the door.

"If SHIELD wasn't watching you, I'd give it to you." Nora murmured sadly. "But I did promise the man I'd give it to him. He needs it to make the world a better place." She looked back at her cousin. "You understand, don't you? SHIELD didn't ruin you, did they?"

"Of course I understand." Remy replied, her face breaking out into the biggest smile. "World order is important, and if we are the ones who are going to live in it, we have to make sure the right people help."

Nora smiled. "That's my girl."

* * *

Remy managed to get away after two hours of Nora's rambling. She claimed that since SHIELD was watching her, they might come looking for her in the room, and that she didn't want to put Nora in danger like that and risk ruining all the plans for new order. Nora protested, but eventually gave in, allowing Remy to leave after hugging her once last time. Remy made sure to promise she'd see her soon before rushing to the elevator and climbing inside.

She managed to get into her room and to the bathroom before she vomited. Sally was with her in an instant, holding her hair back as she wretched into the toilet. Once Remy was done, she leaned back against the tub and covered her face. Brock had brought in a bottle of water and handed it to Sally before disappearing again. Sally rolled her eyes and handed Remy the water, giving a quick glance outside the bathroom before shutting the door, giving them some privacy.

"Pretty sure I'm gonna die on this mission." She mumbled to the other agent. Sally rolled her eyes. "Maybe Brock can just like, throw me to the fishes."

"Told you not to talk like that." Sally told her firmly, shaking her head. "You did fine up there. I heard everything, so we have evidence to convict her as well. Now we just have to retrieve Stark's weapon." Sally looked at her, concern on her face. "That stuff you said in there... are you okay?"

"What do you mean?" Remy asked with a frown. "I'm okay."

"The... part about your teacher."

Remy's eyes lit up. "Oh, _oh_. That. Well, it's all true what happened...but it didn't happen to me." She said, looking towards the door. "I just helped with the aftermath. My classmate had a... relationship with him. We were only 15, you know, so when she got pregnant, it was not good. I helped her out by filling out the forms at the clinic in my name, which was smart, because on our way back onto campus, we got caught. I was expelled, the classmate went on with her life."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "You really did that for a friend?"

"I didn't say she was my friend. She was a classmate. I just wanted to help out because she had a good life ahead of her, you know, and I was just going to end up someone's wife by the time I was 18, so what did it matter what I did or didn't do?"

Sally didn't reply at first, but nodded. "Okay, well, back to the mission. You get some sleep and the boys will go arrest Nora and retrieve the weapon."

"Oh, no, no. I want to do it." Remy said as she started to get to her feet. "Nora... Nora's my cousin. I've already betrayed one person in this family to their face, might as well do it to someone else."

"It's dangerous, Remy." Sally said, shaking her head. "We don't know what the weapon will do, or even what Nora Clark will do." She looked the other agent over, her expression hard. "I don't think I can let you do this."

Remy shrugged. "Then don't think."

* * *

It was now one in the morning and Brock was busy picking the lock to Nora's suite. Remy stood behind him, trying not to feel to anxious as she gripped Sally's gun. The other two agents stayed back while the strike team suited up and went with the untrained agent to the room. The plan was for Remy to enter and obtain the object, and as soon as she had it, they were to go in and arrest Nora. It was an easy enough plan, though perhaps idiotic.

Brock glanced up at her when the door finally unlocked. He couldn't believe he was going along with this plan. It was not safe at all. "You remember how to use it?"

"Pull the trigger. Don't shoot myself." Remy whispered as she held the gun up. "I got this."

He rolled his eyes and followed her into the room. One of the men stayed at the door while the rest of them headed into the room. Remy got to the bedroom and stood there for a moment, listening to make sure Nora was asleep before she went in. She signaled for the others to stay put while she did this, because she wasn't sure what could happen.

As quiet as possible, Remy went over to the portrait on the wall next to the bed. She removed it from the wall and set it on the ground, glancing quickly at Nora before she took hold of the dial. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment before turning it to the correct set of numbers. When it opened, she resisted cheering as she reached in for the box. Thank God this was almost over.

What Remy didn't plan for was the safe door slamming shut suddenly. Not only did she jump in surprise, but Nora sat up in her bed, gasping for breath.

"W-Who's there?!" She cried as she fumbled with the bedside lamp. Swallowing heavily, Remy raised the gun and turned around, pointing it at Nora while she clutched the box to her chest. Her cousin's eyes widened as she stared at the intruder. "R-Rosemary?"

"Nah, I don't go by that anymore." Remy said with a shrug. "Drop a few letters and you're good."

"W-What's going on?" Nora asked, trembling as her gaze moved to the gun in Remy's hand.

"Okay, so all I told you earlier wasn't completely lies." Remy replied. "I work for SHIELD now, and we kind of need old man Stark's weapon. We can't let you take it to this man who is clearly crazy in the head, so..."

"Oh, darling! They _have_ brainwashed you, haven't they!"

The gun went off, hitting the wall above Nora. Both were surprised by the sound, but Remy quickly recovered, pointing the gun back at her cousin. "Just _shut up_! They didn't brainwash me because I wanted to help! You are the one who's brainwashed, Nora, and this shit about new world order? What the hell is that all about?" Sighing, Remy clutched the box closer to her. "I'm going to take this, and they are going to arrest you, okay? Just... don't fight them."

Without another word, Remy stormed out of the room and Brock quickly went in after she left. She should have stuck around, witnessed the arrest and all, but she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. She just wanted to let Hill know the mission was complete and that they could all go back to the Triskelion and back to their jobs.

Her first mission was a success, and Remy prayed it was her last.

* * *

**Closing Notes: **Aw yea.


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Hallo! Here's the latest chapter. I've actually completed the story in a document and now I'm working on the sequel. I'm glad you guys are liking it! Please keep reading and enjoy the newest chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

Remy fidgeted in her seat. Coulson had escorted her to Fury's office this morning, saying it was an important meeting. She wasn't up for it, as she had gotten in late the night before from returning from the west coast. Remy didn't know the details of what happened after she got the item, but she knew Brock and his boys went in to arrest Nora Clark.

And now she sat here, head spinning as she tried to figure out what the Director might say to her. Was it because she acted impulsively by retrieving the item on her own? Was it to scold her for not killing Jameson for being such an asshole? Or was it a raise because, hey, she was kind of awesome.

Fury walked in a few minutes later, his heavy footsteps startling Remy out of her thoughts. He was carrying a few files with him, which he dropped onto his desk in front of her before he took a seat, looking across his desk at her.

"Nora Clark died of cyanide poisoning when Rumlow was arresting her." Fury said evenly, his gaze on Remy. "They're doing an autopsy right now, but it's thought that it was a capsule in a false tooth that she bit down on."

"Wow... um. Okay." Remy said, frowning. Was she supposed to feel sad about this? Guilty, perhaps? But Remy didn't lead her to suicide, it was something else. She certainly didn't give Nora the cyanide. "So... why am I here then? It's not because of that, right?"

Fury raised an eyebrow and sat back in his chair. "Agent Keller thinks you need to see a psychologist. She's worried."

Remy felt offended. "Excuse me? I do no-"

"She's not the only one who is concerned." Fury cut in, silencing her with a look. "Coulson thinks so too. You got a lot of shit bottled up from your family, Agent Black, and it'd be best if you get rid of it all before it affects your job, understand? Agent Keller transcribed the entire conversation you had with Nora Clark, and had some concern about your mental well being after the mission, especially since it was your first time out there."

"I'm fine, though." Remy started. "I don't need help or anything. Just don't let Coulson pull a stunt like that again and I'll be the sanest agent you got!"

"Here's the thing though." Fury pointed to one of the files. "I have a promotion in mind for you, but I can't let you start it unless you agree to one session with a SHIELD psychologist."

Remy sighed. "What's the promotion then?"

"I'd like to put your memory to use, Agent Black." Fury began as he flipped open the folder. "It's impressive how an adult can retain information, since a skill like that goes away after childhood if it isn't nurtured. It's rare to see it in adults, you know." He picked up a report and handed it to her. "Agent May brought this to my attention when you were 15, shortly after you came into Coulson's custody. Apparently you went through her purse and memorized one of her credit cards." Remy took the report and read it over, wincing. That had actually happened, yes, but it was more of a prank in Remy's eyes. "Apparently you sent her flowers. On her dime. With the memorized information."

"Okay, but that's not hard to do." Remy replied as she handed back the report. "Memorizing numbers, not a bit deal." Fury handed her a piece of paper. "And she liked the flowers!"

"Write them down for me." He ordered. "Those numbers you memorized when you were 15. Write them down for me."

Sighing, she did just that, jotting down the 16 digit number and handing it back to him. He compared the numbers to the one in the report and nodded. "There's also the part of you helping get your father arrested because of your ability. I bet even now you can recall all those numbers he made you memorize from childhood on. What was that, 10 years of it? How many holiday breaks did he make you memorize form after form so he could turn around and destroy the physical copies, knowing his daughter had them all secured in her head?"

"Shut up." Remy snapped, glaring at the director. "I never wanted to do that, because that was the only thing I was good for to him." She laughed bitterly. "He didn't want a daughter, you know, he wanted a son, because a son can carry on the family name and business. But me? A female? Too emotional, can't lead, that sort of misogynistic bullshit you see around today." She huffed and sat back in her seat. "I hate that I can remember this shit, you know, but I bet if I wasn't able to do it, I'd probably be dead or something."

Fury put the report away. "Don't tell me all that shit, I've already heard it. That's what the psychologist is for." She rolled her eyes at that. "Don't sass me, Agent Black, or the offer is off the table."

"Okay, but you haven't really even told me what this damn offer is!" She all but yelled. "Tell me what it is and stop bringing up Robert Paterson!"

"I need you to use your brain to catalog certain files." He told her. Remy glared at him. "There are somethings I don't want on the server, understand? That's where you come in. You can't hack the human brain."

"Not yet anyways." Remy mumbled. Sighing, she looked back at the director, trying to keep her calm. "You realize what you're asking is _exactly_ what Robert Paterson made me do for nearly 10 years, right? And that in the blink of an eye, or to the right person, I can bring you down."

Fury seemed unfazed by this. "I'm prepared for that, except I know you won't turn your back on SHIELD after everything we've done for you, especially Coulson."

Okay, that was the magic word. The mere thought of betraying Coulson seemed to deflate her a bit. "I wouldn't betray Coulson. I owe him a lot."

"Then do this for Coulson, because I know he wants you to succeed here in SHIELD, and because he's always trying to find ways for you to advance. Not to mention I think this would be the best way to do it." Fury told her. "However, you need to see the psychologist at least once before this title is officially yours."

"Fine." She sighed. "Can I go now? I want to get to the new office and I'm scared Barton took the comfiest chair." When Fury just glared at her, she took that as a sign to leave, and she bolted for the door.

* * *

Clint was spinning around in his chair, pretty ecstatic that they had _windows_. He could see outside, and natural sunlight, and even clouds! It was much better than the windowless box he had been in for the last few weeks. Clint was convinced he was going to die if he had stayed there much longer.

He sighed as he looked at the clock on his computer. It was half past eight already, and while he knew Remy got in late last night, he figured she would have been on time today considering they were in the new office. He resisted stealing her chair, because it was bigger, more comfy looking. He was going to be a gentleman and let her have it, even though he figured at some point during the week he would take it from her.

The office door opened and he looked up. It was Remy. Clint tried not to act like an excited puppy when he saw her.

"Thank God you're back!" He exclaimed, throwing his good arm in the air. "You made it back in one piece, though sadly I heard Agent Jameson is the same. But you made it!"

She gave him a tired smile and took a seat at her desk, sinking into her new chair. "Oh, this is heaven." She wiggled around in it, trying to find the right position. "Damn, ask for a new office and they spoil us with new chairs. We must have pleased someone."

"And new desks. And computers." Clint added in, spinning around in his chair again. She laughed as she slipped off her heels and tucked her legs under her. Even with the new equipment, she was pleased to see her 'Queen of Coffee' mug on her desk.

"We're so spoiled! I never want to leave my chair." Remy declared as she pulled herself towards her desk, grinning. "Damn, so, how was it without me? Were you all by yourself or something?"

Clint shook his head. "Coulson came to my rescue. He picked up your slack."

"And some of Barton's." Coulson said as he walked into their office. "Hm, this is nice. Maybe to fancy for you two." There was some teasing there, and Remy stuck her tongue out at the agent. "I just came to check in on you two, now that you're getting settled. Perhaps you're getting too comfortable up here, Barton?" He looked to the archer. "I'd hate for you to get used to this and refuse to go into the field again."

"Oh, please. I can't wait to get back out there." Clint retorted, rolling his eyes. "I enjoy my office mate, but I hate the work."

Coulson smiled and shook his head before turning to Remy. "How was your first mission?"

"It was fine." Remy said, no longer smiling. "But never do that to me again, okay?"

"Of course." He walked over to her desk and dropped some files onto her desk. "Director Fury needs you to fill these out, and you have an appointment with Dr. Yamamoto at ten tomorrow morning. And then you're to go speak with Fury when you're finished there."

Remy took took the folder and raised an eyebrow. "Okay, and why didn't he tell me this before I left his office?"

Coulson shrugged. "He said you left to fast." Remy rolled her eyes at that and looked at him. "Hey, I want you to know that I am sorry, but I felt it had to happen, you know."

"Yea, whatever." She mumbled. "You can make up for it by buying me a six pack of beer or something."

"Deal." And with that, Coulson headed out. Clint looked kind of confused, turning his attention from the retreating Coulson to the silent Remy.

"What was that about again?" He asked, his tone worried. "I'm confused. Forms? Appointment? Dr. Yamamoto is a psychologist, so what's wrong?"

Remy groaned softly and covered her face. "I can't handle all of this right now. Can we talk over dinner or lunch or something? I just... I want to angrily type up some stuff. My brain is so overloaded by all that's happened in the last like, 48 hours, hell, even the last few weeks, and I think I need to type for a bit to decompress." She sighed. "Please? I just need a few minutes."

Clint was worried, but he nodded. "Okay, we'll go to lunch and you'll tell me what's going on." He turned back to his computer. "I don't want your brain exploding all over the place, 'cause that would be gross." He sniffed distastefully. "Besides, we _just_ got this place and I don't want you to make a mess."

She rolled her eyes, but did smile a bit. "Whatever."

* * *

**Closing Notes: **Wow, apparently this is a really short chapter. I'll get the next one uploaded soon to make up for this one!


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: **I decided to upload chapter 13 as well because 12 was so short. Here you go!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

Lunch didn't happen, because another dozen boxes appeared and Fury requested they stay on the premises to make up for Remy's absence. Sally, however, was still at the base and she brought them their lunch before going off to do whatever it was she did. Remy had just finished up a box when she finally turned to her food. Oh, it smelled so good. Without a word, she picked up her burger and took a bite, moaning softly as she chewed.

Clint grabbed his food and wheeled his chair over to her, setting his meal on the other side of her desk. He ate a few fries, watching her enjoy the burger. It was kind of weird for a moment, him being here with her as they ate lunch. They never really talked about _what_ they were in terms of relationship status. Was it just a thing, or was it dating? Were they exclusive? Clint liked her, and he had no desire to go flirt with someone else since Remy was interested in him, but it had been bugging him since Saturday, after he left her apartment to go to his. And right now, he felt this was the best time to ask.

"Hey." He started, unsure how to really word this without making it too weird. "So... so what are we?"

Remy frowned. "We're... humans? You're a man, I'm a woman." She ate a few fries. "Do I need to explain basic anatomy to you?"

He rolled his eyes. "No, I mean... what _are_ we in terms of... what we've been doing."

"Oh."

"Yea, like, what do we call this?" He gestured between the two of them. "Just for my own sake, really. I wanna put some sort of label on this."

Remy leaned back in her chair, frowning as she sipped her soda. "Uh, well, if I was to say this and not scare you off, I'd say we were dating. I mean, we've known each other a few years already, and if you're fine with it, I'd even be comfortable saying you're my boyfriend." She took another bite of her burger. "Only if you're comfortable, though."

Clint barely understood that last part and nodded slowly as he ate some fries. "Right... I'd feel okay, I think." He replied before taking a bite of his burger. He made a point to finish his bite before speaking again. "Coulson won't like, taze me or something, will he? Or give me a scary talk about how if I hurt you, he'll kill me and spread my body parts across the world?"

Remy made a face. "That's gross, Clint."

"I'm just curious!" He whined pitifully. "I don't want to be killed because like, I forgot your birthday and made you cry."

"Oh my god, shut up." She said, shaking her head. "You're so adorable right now and it's making me want to make out with you on my new desk."

Clint sipped his soda. "We could do that, but then our burgers would get cold. And cold burgers are gross." He told her. "Besides, _you_ gotta talk to me a bit more. What's this thing about a psychologist? And new job? I'm generally concerned."

"Fury offered me a job... to basically be his human external hard drive." She said as she stared at her burger. It suddenly seemed unappetizing right then and she pushed her food away. "Essentially using me the same way Robert Paterson did all those years ago. And given the shit of my past has been dredged up in the last few weeks or whatever, he wants me to talk to a psychologist to make sure I'm fit or something. I dunno, I figure why not at this point. It could be fun?"

"Well, okay, but you're okay?" He asked as he finished off his burger. "Like, you're...fine, right? You're not going to go crazy on me?" He paused. "Are you going to finish your burger?"

Remy rolled her eyes and pushed her burger towards him. "Eat it. I'm suddenly not hungry." She said as she took another sip of her soda. "I really don't know if I'm okay, though, but we will see. It was... weird seeing my cousin again, and I honestly think she was the only person who cared about me in that family, you know, so it... is weird that she killed herself like that. I guess she felt betrayed by me? I don't know, and it's making me feel weird."

"Then you need to talk to Dr. Yamamoto." Clint agreed as he started to eat her food. "I've talked with him a few times. He doesn't make it seem like it's your fault or anything, which is nice. But you might cry a lot, so be prepared. I'll bring you tissues."

She rolled her eyes again, but really, she was touched by how concerned he was. "Thank you, boyfriend."

"Any time, girlfriend." He replied with a mouth full of food.

* * *

It was Wednesday, 9:58 AM when Remy stood in front of the door to the psychologist's office. She had never spoken to one before, but she probably should have when she was a teen, having just been taken in by Coulson. But it never happened and anything she was going through she stuffed it down, not wanting to make Coulson worry or second guess his decision to take her in. Now it was 9:59. With a sigh, she squared her shoulders and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" Someone called from the other side. Remy took a deep breath and opened the door.

Dr. Yamamoto was an older man, probably late 60's. He smiled at the clearly uncomfortable agent when she came into his office and sat down. He set the files he was looking at down and reached across the desk to shake her hand.

"My name is Keisuke Yamamoto." He told her as he shook her hand. "You can call me Dr. Yamamoto, or even Keisuke if you're comfortable with it." He tilted his head to the side as he studied her. "But I can see you're just not comfortable with being here in general."

"I'm Remy Black." Remy replied as she pulled her hand out of his grasp, sitting back in her chair. "And no, I'm not comfortable, mostly because I've never done this before. Ever."

He nodded. "Well, I'm going to ask you a few questions and I need you to answer them truthfully. The Director just wants to make sure you're fit for duty after your mission, considering what happened." He said as he started to type away on his computer. "Can you tell me a little bit about your father?"

She eyed him warily, but the doctor gave her a look and she sighed. "Robert Paterson was using his riches to fund homegrown terrorism. He never kept any physical copy of a file on hand, because he had me. And that's all I was ever good for to him." She paused, focusing on the sound of typing. "So it's kind of weird that Fury is wanting me to do the exact same thing _now_ for SHIELD."

"Fury has his reasons, I'm sure." Yamamoto murmured as he typed. "This file is telling me that Agent Coulson became your guardian when you were 15, and it tells that you had abandonment issues as well as other things. Do they still affect you now?"

"Wait, was Coulson somehow monitoring me psychologically?"

Remy tensed at that and Yamamoto watched her. "Agent Black, can you answer the question?"

"Yea, okay, yea, they do. I don't like being left alone for long periods of time, and when I was 15 and suddenly in a new place with a stranger, it kept throwing me off whenever he would disappear in the middle of the night for something. And I wouldn't sleep or eat until he came back because I needed to be sure he did come back." This was making her uncomfortable now, talking about all of this.

"Do you think this could relate back to your father?"

"Don't call him that." She snapped. "Robert Paterson was not a father to me, and never will be. And every time I came home, he made it sound like things would be different, and that I only had to memorize one more form and I could be done with it, and that I would be the best daughter in the world, but you know, he was a sack of shit full of lies." Her fingers gripped the arms of her chair and she tried to calm down, but it was difficult. "And I was a stupid kid, because I believed him every time. And as soon as holidays were over, they'd force me back onto that airplane to take me to whatever country my school was in at the time. So when I was 15 and expelled for the last time, I came home and the house was empty. And when I came across Coulson snooping around the next day, I saw my chance for freedom and I took it."

Yamamoto nodded, his fingers typing furiously on the keyboard as he listened to what she said. "Do you regret it at all?"

"Hell no."

"Would you help him again if given the chance?" He asked.

Remy stared at him. "I'd rather throw myself off the top floor of this damn building. I'd want to make sure he saw me hit the pavement and explode from impact. Because hell no, I want nothing to do with him ever. Does that answer your question? Does this put Fury to rest, because I imagine he's watching now from a camera, and he should know I would never help Robert Paterson or men like him ever again, the kind who want to hurt people rather than help them. And if he wants me to be his little external hard drive, fine, whatever, because I find SHIELD to be the lesser of most evils and if I can help get rid of people like Paterson by doing this, whatever, fine, I'll do it." She took a deep breath. "I think I contradicted myself a few times but can I go now?"

"Mmm, you're free to leave. I'll have to talk to Fury, however." Yamamoto told her. "But only if you let me, because you know, confidentiality reasons."

"Yea, whatever, go ahead." And with that, Remy left.

* * *

"Think she's fit?"

Yamamoto looked up and sighed. "You got here fast." He mumbled as he saved the document on his computer. "But I would say yes. I know you had your concern about her providing information back to her family, but the vulgarity and hostility she showed whenever I brought up her father shows me that she wants nothing to do with them."

Fury nodded. "I figured as much, but I had to be sure she wasn't going to screw us all over."

"She might." Yamamoto replied, glancing at the Director. "It wasn't hard to get that information out of her. It's possible for the right price she would give away all the secrets you're having her store."

"She wouldn't, because she knows without SHIELD, she wouldn't have the life she has now."

"Mhm." Yamamoto looked up. "I wanted to suggest to her to see me on a regular basis, but she took off before I could." He sat back in his chair. "Your girl has a lot of issues, Fury, and it could get her in trouble." He paused. "But... she is fit for duty and the job. I don't think it would be problematic for her to do what you need her to do, and my only worry is that her father could be an issue for her. Especially if she knew that you were planning on having them meet again."

Fury grunted and rolled his eye. "Don't make it sound like I want this to happen. Paterson requested her specifically. Apparently he has information about the Stark weapon and the man Nora Clark was to give it too, as well as possible attacks in the U.S., but he said he would only tell Agent Black."

"She's going to kill you." Yamamoto said lightly, glancing at his computer. "I suggest someone go in with her, like Agent Coulson or Hill, because something could happen."

* * *

Remy didn't go back to the office right away. She needed time for herself for a few minutes. Her entire body was shaking, like when she had too much caffeine in a short amount of time. Not to mention her mind was racing and she thought she might die right then and there. Dramatic, yes, but she felt like it. Everything had been just _fine_ until she was brought into that first meeting with Hill and all them, to talk about some mission. And then her family history was brought up and now everything was just out of order. She needed it to go back to was, before the mission, except she wanted to part of her and Clint dating to remain.

She groaned and paced around the hall, covering her face as she tried to force herself to relax. Unfortunately, with her face covered, she wasn't paying attention. And as she paced, she made a sharp turn and crashed hard into someone.

Remy uncovered her face to see who it was, and immediately covered her face. "Agent Hill, I'm so sorry! I didn't... I mean, I'm sorry!"

Hill crouched down on to pick up the papers she dropped, eyebrow raised as she looked at the agent in front of her. "Morning, Agent Black. Is something wrong?"

She dropped her hands and crouched down to help collect the papers. "Yea, I'm okay. I'm just... sorry, my mind is racing and there's a lot to process."

"Let's go to my office then." Hill didn't wait for a response as she led the younger agent down the hall. Sighing, Remy followed after her, wondering what was going to happen now. She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her, because she wasn't sure how much of this she could handle. For the first time in a long time, Remy felt like she was at a breaking point, and she wasn't sure how to handle this.

* * *

**Closing Note: **I hope you enjoyed it!


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's Note: **Here's 14 for y'all!

Thank you for the lovely reviews as well! It makes my week when I see someone saying they like the story, so thank you so much!

A part of me is considering doing a spin off sort of story for another character I'm creating, but that's up in the air. I'm also thinking of writing a prequel of Remy entering SHIELD and the whole Brock thing, because I have a soft spot for that guy for some reason. This would happen after I get the first part of this story posted, however. And after this chapter, there are 10 left to be posted, and then it's the second part, which as four chapters. That one will be darker than this one, so be prepared.

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

Hill let them into her office and took a seat at her desk, placing the files in a drawer. "Have a seat, Agent Black." She ordered, gesturing to the seat. Remy sat in it, and for some reason, felt a bit more relaxed. Possibly because last time she was in here, Jameson was seated beside her, trying to get her into trouble. Now, the atmosphere wasn't strained, but calmer, and that's what Remy needed. She turned to Hill, who was watching her with interest. "You've only been back here for two days now and you're already jittery. The mission was supposed to ease you into field work, you know, not make you like this."

"I never wanted to do that." Remy began, shaking her head. "I only ever wanted to type away at a computer, not fire a gun, which is what I did."

"Sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do." Hill told her. God, it was almost like talking to a child with agents at times, and Hill never had any reason to give an agent special treatment, but seeing how Remy was right now, she couldn't help but feel a little pity for her. "And I know that with everything you've gone through, especially in the last week, I'm surprised you've held it together as well as you have." She looked at a clock on her desk before turning back to Remy. "I never want to give special treatment to agents, because I don't think it's right."

Remy frowned. "I... don't want-"

"But." Hill interrupted, silencing her with a look. "I know we need our agents to function properly, and considering your history and that Fury had you see the psychologist, it's possible you need a few days off to get your focus back."

"But-"

"You need this. Everyone has a breaking point, Agent Black." Hill firmly told her as she began to type something on her computer. "I fear you've reached yours, which isn't what we need right now. You're getting the rest of the week off. I expect you to come in next Monday refreshed and ready to start your new job."

"What about Cli-Agent Barton? He's going to go mad in that office by himself." Remy told her. "I have to help him."

"Agent Barton is capable of doing the work without you." Hill said, not looking up from her screen. "However, I will assign Agent Keller to assist him if you think productivity will go down." She looked at Remy. "This is for your benefit to have a few days to yourself. You will feel better when you come back, because there will be a list of things Fury needs to you to do."

"Oh, lovely." Remy sighed. "You heard about my weird promotion?"

Hill nodded and looked back at her. "It's a good fit for you, so I don't think you should think of it as being weird or anything, all right? Just do what Fury asks and you'll be fine. Just don't over think it."

Remy nodded. And she had to admit, she was feeling a bit better after sitting down with Hill. However, she wasn't pleased about being dismissed from work for a few days. She straightened up in her chair and sighed, looking over at Hill.

"Do I leave right now then, or start tomorrow?"

"Your break starts now. Get your things and leave the premises." Hill told her. "But before you leave, Agent Black, what do you know about the history of HYDRA?"

Remy looked at her funny. "Weren't they affiliated with the nazis or something?" Then she frowned. "Why are you asking?"

"Because I feel that while you're on break, it would be good for you to read up on them." Hill said. "Nora Clark had a fascination with them, as there was old propaganda and artifacts found in her hotel room during the investigation. We don't know why, because HYDRA's been gone for years... but it might be good for you to read up on them before coming back to work."

Remy eyed her suspiciously, but nodded. "Sure, yea, I'll go to the library after this... um. Am I dismissed now?"

Hill nodded. "You are. I'll see you Monday."

* * *

When Remy got to her office, Sally was already sitting at her desk and typing. Clint was looking grumpy as he typed away at his desk, occasionally shooting a dirty look at Sally. With a sigh, Remy went in and collected her things from her desk. She couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed with her, but she knew the other agent was just looking out for her. Except Remy didn't want to be alone, she wanted to stay in the office with Clint and other agents she liked, but now she feels like she's been marooned and left to fend for herself outside of the building.

Clint looked up when she came in, a grumpy look still on his face. "She says you're gone til Monday." He whined. "Why?"

"Agent Hill says I need a break." Remy replied as she slung her purse over her shoulder. "So I'll be back Monday. You be nice to Sally, okay?" Sometimes it was like dealing with a child in here. "She will tell me if you didn't behave."

He rolled his eyes and turned back to his computer, grumbling under his breath. Remy glanced at Sally, who was trying to focus on the computer. Sighing, Remy patted her on the shoulder. "I'm not mad." She mumbled to the other agent before going over to Clint, who was trying to ignore her. She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed his temple. "Hey, you can swing by for dinner if you want?"

"Yea, okay." He sighed, glancing up at her before giving her a quick kiss. Though she was sad about the temporary banishment, Remy was pretty happy that he just kissed her in the office. Granted, it was only in front of Sally, who pretended not to notice them, but it did make Remy feel good.

She smiled, kissed him back, then headed out of the office. It was time to get this break started.

* * *

"I just needed to make sure she was okay, Barton." Sally said as she typed away. "So don't be mad at her because she's gone." She glanced over at the other agent, wondering if he'd respond. He just shrugged, not looking up from the computer. Sally sighed and sat back in her chair. "You would have wanted the same thing if you were there. She was a mess after talking to that woman for a few hours. I mean, she got the job done, but the shit she was talking about? It was hard to hear."

"Mhmm." Was Clint's response as he typed. She rolled her eyes.

"That girl has pent up issues and she may blow at any minute."

"She won't. She has a handle on her shit."

"You weren't there." Sally said, shaking her head. With an annoyed sigh, Clint spun around in his chair.

"Then fuckin' say what you want to say because this alluding shit is pissing me off." He snapped, glaring at her. Sally raised an eyebrow, but he didn't back down. He was _not_ happy at all, and he wasn't going to listen to her talk about Remy while she wasn't here.

"I don't know if it all was true, or false, or a mix of both, okay?" Sally began as she started to type once more. "And I don't know Agent Black as well as you, but the weird way her cousin was going on about new world order... it's like it ran in the family, because Remy's grandfather was the one who obtained Stark's weapon. And then passed it along to her father. I got the impression he was waiting for something like this to happen, and keep in mind this was after the second war."

"And?"

"Look, my mind just goes to the nazis and HYDRA and all that crazy shit, okay?" Sally told him, trying to keep herself calm. "And I don't know, maybe _I'm_ just reading into what was being said, but it is weird that this family had some obsession with a defunct nazi science division, don't you think?"

Clint didn't say anything and kept typing away. He was going over what Sally said, but he felt she was just grasping at straws at this point. "Look, maybe there's some neo-HYDRA freaks out there still, but the organization itself is gone, and if it was somehow hiding around, SHIELD would have known about it by now." He said, shaking his head. "And I'm pretty sure Nora Clark was just crazy, so I wouldn't worry about Remy on all that, okay? Okay, let's drop it and get on with work."

Sally just sighed and shook her head. She just felt something in the back of her mind that this just didn't seem right, but she didn't know who to tell at this point. She had hoped maybe Clint would give her some insight, but really, they didn't know each other that well, so what was she expecting? Plus, he seemed to blame her for Remy's forced vacation from the office, and he wasn't thrilled with working with someone different again like that. She finished the form she was working on and started a new one. She'd just keep to herself for the next few days then.

* * *

Coulson did not hear about Remy's leave because he was away from the office. However, when he arrived back at the apartment, he was caught off guard by the stack of books on the coffee table. There were over 20 of them, all looking to be on World War II. Too many of them had swastikas on their bindings, which unsettled him a bit as he slipped his shoes off. And as he started to remove his jacket, he saw his bedroom door was open.

He went still, his hand reaching for his gun. Remy never went in there, so there was a possibility something was wrong. Couslon withdrew his gun from the holster and stepped into the doorway, aiming it at the potential intruder.

Except it was Remy. She was crouched in front of his bookshelf, pulling out a stack of books from the bottom shelf. Several were on Captain America, a few on the war itself, and one on HYDRA. When she heard him approach, she started, nearly knocking the stack over.

"Oh, you're here." She said, trying to act like she wasn't scared as she got to her feet and retrieved the stack from the floor. "I got dismissed from the office for a few days and I was told to do some reading. You don't mind if I borrow these, right? I'm supposed to research HYDRA."

He lowered his gun. "Do I want to know why?" He paused and shook his head as he holstered the weapon. "Actually, I do, because you should be at the office." He took the stack from her and went to the living room, setting it next to the others on the table. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Hill suggested it." Remy said with a shrug as she plopped herself onto the couch. "Said I should look into HYDRA and be familiar with them. I got those books from the library, but I knew you might have some because of your Captain America crush."

"It's not a crush."

"Whatever." Remy dismissed it with a wave of her hand as she grabbed a book at random, flipping it open. This one was some biography on Captain America and it included several photos of him. "Damn, that guy was tiny. Did they really pump him full of juice to turn him giant?"

Coulson rolled his eyes as he went to get a glass of water. "That's what happened, yes. But if you want information on HYDRA, don't read that book." He said as he filled up a glass. Remy hummed in response as she turned a page, letting out a soft whistle.

"He was cute skinny, you know, but pumped up on steroids like that? _Damn._" She said, shaking her head before tossing the book aside. She picked up another one, flipping through the pages. "They use a lot of the same photos, these books. But this one shows him shirtless. I like that."

"Aren't you supposed to be reading up on HYDRA and not staring at Captain America?" Coulson asked as he came back over, taking a seat next to her. He reached into the stack of books, pulling out the book that was on HYDRA. He flipped through it for a few minutes before coming to a chapter and holding it out to her. "If you want the dirty details on HYDRA, start here and read to the end. The first two chapters aren't that relevant."

Remy took the book from him and set it on her lap, instead keeping her attention on the Cap book. "He really is good looking. I can't stop staring."

Couslon managed to pry the book away from her before setting it aside. "You'll make Barton jealous, now get reading."

"Ugh, whatever."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note: **Ahh I couldn't wait and wanted to post more. Review if you have questions or comments or whatever!

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

The leave of absence, which really was the official wording for Remy's break, went by faster than she anticipated. She managed to read all the books, get some cleaning done, and even cooked dinner for Clint several nights in a row (Coulson had other plans and made it a point to leave them alone as much as possible). Clint was in a better mood by Friday night, but it was mostly because he had had his doctor's appointment earlier that day, and after the few weeks in the cast, apparently the doctor thought he was doing well enough to start doing a light work out.

The break wasn't as bad as they initially thought, and they were going to remove the hard cast soon and replace it with a softer casing, that way it would still be protected but he wouldn't have to have it as restricted. He was still required to work desk duty for a while, but he was pleased to just remove the damn thing already.

And now it was six in the morning on Monday. Remy was awake and fixing breakfast, clearly excited that she was able to go back to work. The break was good for her, as she managed to clear her mind of the mission and Nora Clark. However, HYDRA was still on her mind, and she remembered everything she read in the books a few days prior. But what was the whole point, because she was sure Hill wasn't going to quiz her or something on what she knew.

The only thing that really unsettled Remy about HYDRA was their insignia: the tentacled skull. It was the design she saw in Nora's safe, but she was sure she saw it elsewhere before. It had been eating at her all weekend, but she didn't say anything to Clint. It was their time to be together and she wasn't going to bring this mess up with him. They spent the weekend around the apartment, making out and watching movies. Remy managed to get him to watch another soccer match with her, and he was rewarded with more making out after the team won.

She sighed and flipped the pancakes she was making. Clint was still asleep, which she was fine with. It gave her a few minutes to herself to think over everything. She was going to email Hill once she got back into the office, just to tell her she was feeling better now and she did a lot of reading.

The sound of sluggish footsteps alerted her to a half asleep Clint leaving her bedroom. He grunted something at her as he went to the coffee pot, looking for a mug. Remy rolled her eyes and grabbed a clean mug for him before she plated the pancakes. He mumbled something and went to the table to take a seat, forgetting the coffee.

"You're really tired, aren't you?" She said with a grin as she poured him a cup and brought it to him. He just grunted, taking a few sips of it. "Oh my god." Shaking her head, she put a plate of pancakes in front of him before she grabbed her own. "Well, eat up."

"Oh yes, yesssss." He moaned sleepily as he cut into the pancake and took a bite. She watched him, amused as she slathered her stack in butter and syrup. Half asleep Clint was a sight to behold, and she almost wanted to pull out her phone to record this because this was the first morning that he had been like this.

"Why are you so sleepy?"

"Why are you up at six in the damn morning?" He shot back sleepily, raising an eyebrow. Remy rolled her eyes and took a bite of her pancakes, chewing for a few minutes before she answered.

"I actually feel good for the first time in a few days, and I crashed early last night." She told him. "What's your excuse?"

"Midnight is not early." He grumbled. "And I'm tired because we went to bed at midnight and you're up like, six hours later cooking pancakes."

"I want to get back to my desk and chair!" Remy whined softly, pouting at him. He just rolled his eyes as he ate. "And I really feel good. I just want to get back to work. Hell, I even miss Jameson."

Clint certainly felt awake now and looked at her. "Are you ill? You've been gone for only a few days and you miss that asshole?" He shook his head. "Who are you and where is Remy?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and continued eating. They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes until Coulson wandered out. He didn't say anything to them as he poured some coffee and grabbed the extra plate of pancakes. Clint straightened up a bit, realizing he probably should have put more clothes on again. At least this time he had pants on.

"Why is everyone up so early? No one has to go in til eight." Coulson grumbled as he sipped his coffee. Remy just shrugged and Clint snorted.

"This isn't Remy. She's been taken over by a pod person." Clint said, sounding serious as he ate. Coulson nodded understandingly as he started to eat.

"Explains why she's up at this hour cooking."

"She even misses Jameson."

"Now I am worried."

"Oh my god, you two need to stop." Remy groaned as she went to clean off her plate. "I don't like being cooped up here. It's weird and I miss my office. I just want to get back to my normal work stuff."

Coulson took a bite of his pancakes and looked at her carefully. "Make sure you talk to Director Fury about the new position when you get in, Remy. That way the paperwork can be done."

"Yea, about that. Do I get a title with this new job?" Remy asked as she started washing dishes. "Cause, I dunno, human external hard drive doesn't have a nice ring to it."

"Sounds good to me." Clint said as he finished off his breakfast. "Dunno what else to call you. Human thumb drive? Human floppy disc?"

"Human micro SD card! Or, oh, um, the Human RAM!"

Coulson shook his head as the other two started getting more and more ridiculous. He didn't even know the title was, if there was one at that. Instead, he ate his pancakes and drank his coffee in peace, just listening to the two banter.

"No, wait, Human iPod!"

"An iPod is mostly for music, babe."

"Oh quiet, woman, you're ruining my groove here."

* * *

Once she made sure Clint was actually working, Remy sent an email to Hill telling her she was back and well-read, then she made her way to the Director's office. Being in the new office put her closer to the Director, which was kind of nice and kind of weird. Nice being that Remy only had to go up a few floors to see him, but weird because he was closer to her in distance now than he ever had been before, and she wondered if he was somehow going to check up on her more, especially now with this promotion.

She arrived at the door and knocked. It took a few minutes before Fury called out for her to come in. And there he was, standing in front of the windows overlooking the river and city, hands clasped behind his back. It was like in the movies, when the protagonist comes to meet with someone and learns of a new dangerous mission or some shit. Except this wasn't the movies and Remy wasn't going to do anymore missions. This was just them talking about the job, that was it. Nothing more.

Remy went over to a chair in front of his desk and took a seat. A moment later, he took his own seat at the desk, looking over at her. She fidgeted in her seat, wondering why he was staring her down all of a sudden. It was a bit uncomfortable, but she kept looking at him, not sure what else to do.

Neither spoke for a few minutes and she was finding this a bit ridiculous. Sighing, Remy straightened up in her seat and looked him in the eye. "Do I have a new title with this job?"

Fury raised an eyebrow. "A title? You want a title?"

"No, I don't _want_ one. I was just curious." She replied, crossing her arms over her chest. "Like, I figure you won't refer to me as just a human external hard drive when talking about me in polite conversation."

He rolled his eye and pulled out a piece of paper. It was her personal file, except it looked updated. Some things were still redacted on her file, but whoever updated it included a few things, like mission history, relationship status (she tried not to grin at that), and now a new job title. She raised an eyebrow as she read it over.

"Archivist." She said, looking at him. "Really? That actually sounds bad ass."

"Thought you'd like it." Fury said as he pulled out a folder. "Now, these are the files I need you to go over. The way this will work is this: I hand you the files. You do whatever it is you do to remember it, and then you hand it back to me. You will not tell anyone what is on these files, nor will you replicate these unless asked _by _me in person. I will never email you asking for a file, but I will email you for a meeting, because again, we only do this in person. And you do not repeat anything here."

"Yes sir." She said with a nod. He gave her a look, wanting to be sure he wasn't being sassed. But Remy actually looked serious for once.

"Did you fill out the forms I gave you the other day?" He asked. Her eyes widened and she didn't answer. "Didn't think so. Bring them tomorrow and make sure they are filled out. But for now, I need you to look at these." He finally handed her the folder. "Do whatever it is you do to remember them and hand them back to me."

Remy took the folder and opened it. One sheet of paper contained a series of numbers, and as she looked at them, she realized they were coordinates. She looked up to ask Fury, but the look on his face made her keep quiet. Instead, she studied the numbers, eyes scanning and taking in every digit before she moved onto the next sheet of paper. It was the same thing. She wondered if these were the coordinates to the SHIELD offices around the world.

It took a while for her to do this. Half of the papers were numbers, and the other half were schematics showing strange weapons. Again, she wanted to question Fury, but she knew it wasn't her job to know _what_ these things were, but to just contain the information until Fury needed them.

Once she was done, she placed them back into the folder and handed it back to him. He took it from her and stuck it into his desk drawer. They sat there in silence for a few minutes, looking at each other.

"...so. Because of this, do I go from a level 6 agent to something else?" She asked, almost hesitating. "I mean, this is sensitive information. And what all do I get to actually know, or is it just this stuff? Do I get to see other special files and know stuff like Coulson does?"

"Once you do your damn paperwork, you'll become a level 8 agent." Fury told her, sitting back in his chair. "Because there will be things you may need to access should the need arise. However, I don't need you to go flaunting it around that you're at that level because there might be a few parties who won't be happy." Remy refrained from mentioning a name as she listened to him talk. "Not a lot of people know about this, Agent Black, understand? Only a select few, due to the delicate nature of some of the files. No one needs to know exactly what you do, so only tell those you can really trust."

"Okay, now I'm starting to regret this." She said, trying to make a joke. Except the look on his face made her recoil a bit in her chair. This was not a joking matter. "Sorry, I won't say a word. I promise."

"If word gets out that there's information like this available, interested parties would be after the person who has it." Fury said, looking right at her. "And they would do what they could to extract the information from the subject. Do you understand?"

Remy blinked slowly. Shit, there was a possibility she could die because of this. From just knowing a few numbers on a piece of paper, she was at risk of torture and death. Why didn't someone mention this to her before? Why was she just now thinking about it? She gripped the arms of her chair, trying to keep calm. She could do this. Nothing would happen to her. No one was going to know what she did.

"I understand, sir."

And with that, she sealed her fate.


	16. Chapter 16

**Author's Note: **Aw snap. Chapter 16. I need to stop updating for a bit to allow myself to catch up on the sequel. I hope people are enjoying it! Let me know how you like it!

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen**

It was probably two weeks since Remy saw the Director. He left her alone after her first 'assignment' with him, and she kept her word, never mentioning what was on the papers to anyone. She even fought the curiosity of looking the coordinates up online, for fear that it could be traced back to her. Maybe she was being paranoid, but at the same time, this was SHIELD. Weird shit could happen.

Tony Stark apparently enjoyed flying around in a suit and called himself Iron Man. About a year ago, some alien or something nearly took out a small town in New Mexico. Not to mention Captain America was found in the Arctic.

Weird shit was starting to happen and Remy was just trying to shake it off. All she had to worry about now was data entry. She and Clint were now down to only 7 dozen boxes, and no one had surprised them with new boxes for a few weeks, so they felt they were finally making progress. They were thinking of celebrating the fact that there were no new boxes with ideas of setting some random boxes on fire and having a few drinks.

The idea of celebration was short lived when Jameson came into their office with six more boxes. Clint looked like he was going to murder him while Remy let her head hit the desk. Neither spoke to the agent as he parked the boxes in front of Remy's desk.

"There's about 15 more of these. Apparently found somewhere in Canada." He informed them, looking unhappy about being there. "Director Fury said these need to be dealt with now, instead of everything else."

Remy rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to listen to Jameson. "Well, they will have to wait until we're done with the boxes we just started. These forms need to be entered in a numeric order by what's on them, so I don't care what Fury says. I'm not going to jump into another set of files just because they were found in Canada."

Jameson glared at her. "Director Fury told me to tell you-"

"Then get him down here to tell me _why_ this is happening." She snapped, glaring at him. Clint turned his chair around to watch this, an amused look on his face. Jameson clenched and unclenched his fists as he glared at her.

"Why do you have to be so difficult, Agent Black?!" He shouted. "It's bad enough you get special treatment, but you think you can order other agents around like this?! Everything has an order that we must follow to make SHIELD run smoothly, understand? Why do you think you're above it all?!"

"Excuse me? I'm making this difficult?" She shot back as she stood up from her desk, knocking her chair away. "You've been awful to me since that first meeting with no reason why! I don't know what the hell I did or didn't do to you, Agent Jameson, but you better get the hell over it because I'm so tired of your shit right now!"

"I'm just following orders, Agent Black, unlike you!" Jameson snapped, stomping his foot on the ground as he glared at her. They locked eyes, neither moving for several minutes before Remy grabbed her chair and sat back down, not saying anything for a moment.

"Get the hell out of my office, Jameson." She suddenly growled as she began to type something on her computer.

"You need to watch what you say, Agent Black." Jameson said, narrowing his eyes as he grabbed the hand truck. "Not everyone likes to kiss your ass like Fury or Coulson. They won't always be here to save the day."

The agent stormed out after that, leaving Remy frustrated and Clint annoyed and kind of confused. What the hell was that really all about? Not to mention that sounded a bit like a threat. He rolled his chair over to Remy, who was picking up her phone and looking for a number. She was seething – he was certain there was steam coming out of her ears right then. Only time he ever saw her this angry was after a soccer match they watched together. The team lost by a point and Remy had been devastated. Clint had to keep her from throwing the remote at the television.

"That asshole is getting on my last nerve." She grumbled as she slammed her phone down. "I'm to angry to even dial Fury's number. Not only do I dislike Jameson, but I don't trust him at this point. That was a threat or something, I swear."

Clint nodded as he put his arm around her, pulling her towards him as he pressed a kiss to her temple. He could feel her shaking, possibly from the adrenaline of the argument. Remy leaned into him, resting her head on is shoulder. Had their chair not had the armrests, this would have been much more comfortable than it was now. They pulled away after a few minutes, the armrests digging into their ribs. Remy sighed and looked back at her computer, shaking her head.

"That asshole." She mumbled. "I'm so tired of this."

"Then call up Hill and complain to her." Clint told her as he put his hand on her back. She tensed up a bit when he did that, but when he started to rub her back gently, she relaxed. Remy was grateful for Clint, and she didn't know if she ever told him enough. Not to mention him being patient and understanding with the whole situation she had been going through lately. She turned to him and gave him a kiss, not caring at that moment if someone walked in.

"Agent Black, Agent Barton."

Oh, well, when she heard that voice, she did care. Pulling away from her boyfriend, both looked to the door, surprised to see Hill there. She didn't look cross, but she didn't look impressed with them either. Clint straightened up a bit, but he kept his hand on Remy's back as the agent approached the desk. It was almost protective, the way he was keeping close to her like this. He didn't want Hill taking her away again.

"I've come to collect you both, as you two will be joining me for an interrogation in New York." She informed them as she set a file on Remy's desk. "I know this isn't something you've trained for, Agent Black, but you were specifically requested, again, for this."

Remy eyed the file warily as she grabbed it. A sense of dread flooded her as she opened it up. She dropped the file and stood up, glaring at Hill. Anyone else would have backed down by the look Hill was giving Remy, but the younger agent was in no mood for this anymore.

"Seriously, I have to go see him?" She all but shouted, pounding her fist on her desk. Clint managed to look over at the file and let out a low whistle. Staring up at them was a mug shot of Robert Paterson. Sure, Clint never saw a picture of the guy before, and he never cared to look him up online or anything, but he was surprised by the resemblance between Remy and her father. And he knew if he wanted to keep dating her that he should never tell her that.

"You don't have a choice, Agent Black." Hill said, folding her arms across her chest. "He requested you specifically several weeks ago. He has information on the man Nora Clark was looking to meet, as well as information on this militia. They've banded together again, and last week, they bombed an abandoned elementary school in Kansas."

"He _says_ he has information." Remy shot back. "That man is full of lies, how do you know for sure?!"

"He told us about the bombing two days before it happened. He is somehow communicating with someone on the outside."

"Then figure out who it is then! Isn't that what SHIELD for?!"

There was now silence as the two women stared at each other. Clint felt the tension and he wasn't sure what else to do, but he felt that if he didn't step in soon, someone was going to get thrown out the window. Remy's nerves were already frayed from the situation with Jameson only minutes before, and now she was talking back to Hill. This was not good at all.

So Clint stood up from his chair and grabbed Remy's purse, handing it to her. She turned to look at him, jaw dropping as she took it. He was going along with this? He then grasped her elbow and led her away from her desk and towards Hill, who just looked done with everything.

"We're ready." Clint said, his grip holding Remy close. She didn't try to fight him, but she looked mad all the same. And he knew she would be mad at him, but this needed to happen. She couldn't think about herself or her feelings when other people could be at risk of injury or death.

"Then let's head out."

* * *

They took a helicopter. It was like another nail in the coffin, but Remy managed not to throw up. Instead she opted to stare at her feet the entire ride over to the base just outside of New York City. That was where the interrogation would take place. The plan was that she would be in the room with Hill, who would actually do the talking. Remy didn't have to say a word to him. And Clint would wait outside. Why he was along, Remy wasn't sure, and even though she was mad that he went along with this, she was glad he was there.

But she was still mad about the whole situation.

And when the helicopter landed and they all got off, no one said anything as Hill led the way to a small building next to an airplane hanger. This had to be an underground base then, because Remy saw nothing to lead anyone to believe there was anything else here except a small airfield and a few hangers and garages. An older woman stepped out to greet them, smiling wide as she ushered them inside. The office was dingy, with a few bookshelves along one wall and a desk in the middle. Several chairs were scattered in it, as well as a vending machine. Remy had only ever been to the Triskelion base, so she wondered if the stairs down to the base were behind the bookshelves or something.

So she was surprised when Hill went over to the vending machine and dropped in a few coins, then entered in some numbers. The machine whirred and clunked before dropping down something. Hill collected the bag of cookies and looked at Remy, who must have had a weird expression on her face as she watched this.

"I'm hungry." She said as she entered in another set of numbers. This time, half of the machine swung open, revealing a set of stairs. Huh, so it was through the vending machine. Hill led the way down as she snacked, Remy and Clint following after her. They headed down a narrow hallway, passed several doors and other hallways before coming to a room at the end of the hall. This must not have been a large base, maybe just used for interrogations.

They stopped short of the door and Hill turned to face them. "Barton, you will wait out here while Black and I talk to him, understand? Just say put until we finish."

Clint nodded. Remy resisted turning and running away, but then Clint put his hand on her lower back, pushing her towards Hill. Though she was still mad, she found it slightly comforting before she followed Hill into the room. She suddenly felt very small, like she was 15 again and sitting across from Coulson and Fury as they talked to her about her father. She had been a terrified kid at that time, because what if these men couldn't help her and she had to go back to her father? Because he would do worse things to her than just hit her and send her away. But somehow, she put that fear aside and trusted them, which allowed for Robert Paterson to be put away, and she never had to see him again.

Until today.

And now Remy took a seat next to Hill at the table, her hands shaking as she reached up to fix the buttons of her blouse. It had been over 12 years since she last saw him. And he had been so enraged when SHIELD entered the house, guns drawn and pointed at him as one agent pulled Remy away. She had been wearing an ear piece that recorded their entire conversation. Robert should have been suspicious when his daughter kept asking questions, because she never did before. And now he was being arrested, taken away into a dark van while Remy sat on the front porch, agents milling about the house.

And that had been the last time Remy had seen her father, and she hoped it would have been the final time.

The door to the room was opened. Hill didn't look up as she laid out a folder on the table. It was the same one she had handed to Remy hours earlier in the office. Hill was calm, having done this sort of thing countless times. But Remy had never really done this before, and she didn't count the Nora Clark thing as an interrogation.

Two agents held onto his arms as they escorted him to the empty chair across from the two interrogators. He aged poorly since Remy last saw him, but she still recognized that cold, calculating look in his eyes whenever he saw her.

Robert Paterson smiled sweetly at his daughter. "It's been far to long, my dear Rosemary. How have you been, darling daughter?"

* * *

**Closing Note**: This was a fun chapter to write, but the next chapter was the one I really enjoyed writing, because the next chapter was what I wrote a while ago as a way to start working on Remy's character and her story, as well as the story in general. I approve that Clint nor Hill will tolerate Remy's little tantrum.


	17. Chapter 17

**Author's Note: **I'm working on some one shots just to clear the cobwebs and dust bunnies out of my mind. I just gotta figure out if I should post them or not, because they would likely be one shots of Remy's experiences before the start of this story as well as things during *this* story, but I haven't decided yet as I'm still working on the sequel.

Anyways, this is the chapter that sparked this whole story. I was writing out a random plot bunny and it took two or three attempts before I started writing this, which then spawned the whole entire story, so I enjoyed writing it a lot. I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave comments, questions, or constructive criticism!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen**

_12 years earlier_

"You wanna give me a reason why I shouldn't call the cops right now?"

Phil Coulson looked up from the cabinet he was going through, surprised by what he saw. No one was supposed to be in the house, as reports said Robert Paterson and his wife were on vacation, and that the household staff was having a few days off. The daughter was supposed to be away at school in upper state New York. Coulson had seen the photo of the family, and he knew the unimpressed looking teenager in the doorway was the daughter, Rosemary Paterson.

"You wouldn't want to call the cops because you're supposed to be in school, young lady." Coulson said with a smile as he closed the cabinet. "I was told the house would be empty. You weren't part of the plan."

To his surprise, the teenager just rolled her eyes as she walked into the office. That's when he saw the bottle of wine and cigarette in one hand, and a phone in the other. She plopped down in the plush chair across the desk, placing the unlit cigarette between her lips before pulling a lighter from her blouse pocket. From what Coulson knew, she was only 15. He went over to her and took the cigarette from her mouth, then held his hand out expectantly. She stared at him for a moment, stunned by this parental action. Then she rolled her eyes again and handed him the lighter and bottle.

"I was never part of any plan." She grumbled as she slouched in the chair. Phil crumpled up the cigarette and put the bottle on the desk away from her. He then went back to the cabinet, turning his back on her as he searched through it. She watched him, feeling a bit curious as he muttered to himself, thumbing through the files. "So, like, what are you even looking for?"

"Files." Was his reply as he went to the next cabinet. She raised an eyebrow and straightened up in her seat. "Files that Robert Paterson has that involve illegal funding."

"Ohhhhh. _Those_ files." She said with a smirk. "I know what files you're looking for."

Coulson turned to look at her, wondering if this was just some trick. In reality, he should have alerted his partner outside about this new addition, but he didn't find the teenager to be any sort of threat. She seemed unfazed that he was rummaging through her father's office, but he felt a touch suspicious that she just mentioned the files.

"And what files do you think they are?" He asked carefully, frowning. Her smirk grew bigger. Maybe she was just playing him.

"The files you are wanting don't exist on paper." She told him, her gaze turning to the computer. "Or even the computer. But I know where they are, and it won't be easy to get them." Rosemary looked smug, like she outsmarted the agent. "You won't take him down that easily, you know."

"I have ways of making you talk, you know."

"Oh, please." The smugness was gone and the unimpressed look was back. "You don't need to try and threaten me. Besides, who are you, because I gotta know what's in it for me if I tell you what you want."

Okay, this conversation was not going how Coulson thought. "What do you mean?"

"Who do you work for? FBI? CIA? Some other organization made up of random letters?" She asked as she set the phone down. "Because if you show me your badge, I'll help you."

"Fair enough." Coulson said, smiling as he handed her his badge. She took it, studying the badge, her fingers tracing the eagle design on it. After minute, she handed it back to him.

"Nice eagle, agent of 'Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division.' That's one hell of a name." She said, leaning back in her chair. "Never heard of you."

"We keep quiet for the most part." He said, pocketing his badge. "Now, are you going to tell me what you know?"

Suddenly she looked uncomfortable, looking around the room. She shook her head and stood up, glancing towards the door. "Don't you have a super secret base or something we can talk? I don't wanna do it here."

The change of attitude confused Coulson for a moment, but he needed answers, so he was going to comply with the suddenly unsettled teenager. Without another word, he took her by the arm and led her from the house to the awaiting van on the other side of the property's gate. He just hoped no one saw this.

* * *

Rosemary Paterson was taught manners at a very early age. She knew to only speak when spoken too, and to agree with whatever a man said to her. And she followed that when under the watchful gaze of her parents, but here in this interrogation room, she didn't have to listen to them. She was her own person and she had questions. And one of them was how the guy sitting next to Coulson lost his eye. But that was also a rude question, so she resisted asking it.

"Coulson tells me the files don't exist." The man said. "But we suspect you're not telling the whole truth, Miss Paterson."

"They don't exist physically." She told them as she leaned back in her seat. "Hey, I'm kind of hungry, though, can I have a sandwich? Like, peanut butter and jelly would be awesome. I've only ever had one once, and it was the best thing ever."

"I'll see what I can do while you talk to Director Fury." Coulson said as he got up. "Want a root beer or something to go with it?"

Rosemary's eyes lit up. "Yes, please."

Coulson gave her a smile and left, leaving the two alone. Fury looked back at the teenager, who was now looking anywhere but him. She better not be playing them with this.

"The files?"

"Oh, right. Yea. They're in my brain."

If she had said that to any other person, they would have thought she was insane. But Fury liked to think he could be open minded when something like that was brought to his attention, and when she said that, he felt interested.

"Your brain?" He repeated. "How the hell does that work?"

"I have a photographic memory. Really. Watch." She grabbed the pen from his hand and the piece of paper he was writing on. She began to write something down, taking a minute to do so, before she pushed it back towards him. On the paper was a sketch of Coulson's badge, complete with his numbers. She had seen it hours ago, but it was identical, down to a small scratch on the eagle.

"Impressive, but that doesn't explain what you just said to me." He told her, taking the pen back. "What do you mean they are in your brain?"

Rosemary sighed. "Okay, I have a photographic memory or something, I dunno. But my father found out and he... he would make me memorize a lot of things, like all these receipts and transfer forms, and then he'd burn them. But every so often he needed me to write the stuff back down, and I could, because I knew every detail, down to the last digit or letter."

Fury was writing this down. He still wasn't sure if he believed her, but it was worth a shot in a way. "You want to tell me the group he's been funding then? What they go by and who their leader is?"

"Oh, I think they're called something like... um, The Chimera Order?" She said, frowning. "The transfer forms always showed an address in North Dakota. I think that's where their base was or something. And the leader? I dunno, I don't think it was his real name..."

"Well, what did he go by?" Fury asked, writing down every word she said. "It could be someone we already have our eye on."

Rosemary snickered a bit and Fury glared at her. She grinned and glanced up at the ceiling for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Lion. That's all I ever heard dad say. I mean, I wasn't supposed to listen to his calls while I was home, but man, I was bored. I never left the house, you know. And so I listened to some of his calls once and he said something about Lion fighting with Goat?" She frowned for a moment. "I mean, a chimera comes from Greek mythology, and it has three heads. One is a lion, one a snake, and... wow, I think the third is a goat. So maybe there's three leaders you're looking for, because that could be their code names?"

Before Fury could reply, Coulson returned with the food. He set the plate and drink in front of her before taking his seat next to Fury. Rosemary's eyes lit up when she saw the sandwich. "So, did we learn anything?"

"This girl has a good memory." Fury told him. "And I think if the price is right, she might be able to help us."

Rosemary took a bite of her sandwich and sighed happily. "Thank you so much. This is the best thing ever right now." She said after she finished chewing. She took a sip a root beer as well and bounced a bit in her seat. It was a bit like watching a young child waiting to open their birthday present. She was just happy to have a simple sandwich and soda, and it made Coulson wonder what it was like in her house.

"Rosemary." Coulson said. The teenager looked at him as she ate her sandwich. "You know that what you're saying can put your father in prison, right?" She nodded, eyes widening. "Do want that to happen?"

"Mhmph, yesh." She said with a mouthful of sandwich. She finished chewing and swallowed before she continued. "He needs to be put away if he's funding bad guys, and I think it's some kind of terrorism or something, because there was a map I saw once with flags all around the country, and the flags had these weird skull things on it. And some of the forms had like...weird bomb making things. I don't really know what goes in a bomb, but I know dad had no reason to give someone a lot of money for things like gun powder and other explosive stuff." She sipped her soda. "And he uses me. A lot. I don't want to be a part of it anymore and I want him to stop hurting me. So, I'll do whatever it takes to put him away."

The two men looked at each other, almost having a silent conversation before they looked back at the teenager. Her sandwich was finished and she was sipping her root beer as she awaited their response. Fury suddenly got up and left, taking the file with him, leaving the two alone. Coulson smiled at the teenager as he pointed to a spot next to his mouth.

"You got some jam there." He said. "And you need to know that if you help us, your life won't be the same. Everything is going to change for you."

Rosemary nodded and sighed. "I understand. I've been his personal... I don't even know what to call myself. I'm not his daughter, but just a sort of... hard drive. I've been doing it since I was five and I'm tired of it. I want something else from this life."

"Very well." And Coulson got up, gesturing for her to follow him. She licked her lips, trying to get the bit of jam that he had pointed out to her as she followed him out of the room. She almost felt like she was about to take the long walk down the hallway, never to return to her old life. But that was okay, because it just felt right to her at that moment.

* * *

Rosemary sat in the plush chair on the other side of her father's desk, watching him as he paced back and forth. He was on the phone again, talking to the one named Lion this time. He had said the name several times already, and she knew it was just a stupid code name. She fidgeted nervously in her chair and scratched at her ear, finding the ear piece really weird. It was even weirder hearing Coulson tell her to calm down and knowing that Robert was oblivious to the whole situation. There was a fleet of SHIELD agents on their way to the house, and all Rosemary had to do was get him to talk enough about the militia and the information on the forms and he was done for.

Robert hung up the phone and looked to his daughter, his face unreadable. She wasn't sure if he was angry or happy that she was home right then. He walked over to her and raised his hand, causing her to flinch. Instead, he smiled down at her as he stroked her hair.

"My darling daughter, I'm so happy you're home today." He said sweetly, still smiling. Rosemary felt sick from this but she managed to give him a small smile. Robert pulled away suddenly and went over to his fax machine. This was how it always happened: A fax would come in containing all the numbers and Rosemary would memorize it. Then Robert would have her rewrite the information several times, just to prove she knew it, and then he'd destroy all the documents. It's how it worked for the last 10 years, so today would be no different.

He handed her the sheet of paper and she knew this was her chance. As her eyes studied the form, she cleared her throat. "Is this supposed to be Ryan or Lion, dad?" She asked, looking up from the form and pointing to the supposed error. He looked, frowning.

"Lion, you stupid girl." He snapped. "Get on with it."

"Oh. And... and is this Christina?" She pointed to another word. "I mean, I gotta make sure I'm reading this right... otherwise this won't work..." He snatched the paper from her, glaring down at it.

"It reads Chimera." He growled. "Did you hit your head? You're normally not this stupid. Do you need me to read the file to you?"

Her eyes widened and she nodded. Robert narrowed his eyes as he began to read the numbers off to her, as well as what they represented. This was it. He was doing more than she could have thought possible, and he was incriminating himself with every line and number he read to her. She wasn't really listening to him, but to the activity going on through the ear piece. She heard Coulson say the words, "We got him, move in." before pausing and adding, "Keep the girl safe."

Robert crumpled up the piece of paper and drew his hand back, striking Rosemary across the face. This snapped her back to reality and she touched her stinging cheek, looking at him. He was about to do it again, but the sound of the front door breaking caused him to freeze. At least a dozen armed men flooded the room, guns raised as they aimed it at him. Rosemary jumped to her feet, eyes wide at what she was witnessing. This was far to exciting to miss. But Robert turned to his daughter, rage in his eyes as he raised his hand to strike her. She took a step back and closed her eyes, waiting.

Except someone had grabbed her from behind and was pulling her out of the room. She opened her eyes and watched as the armed agents surrounded her father. He was down on his knees as one of them cuffed him, the others keeping their guns aimed. The agent that pulled Rosemary away took her outside, leaving her there before he went on to do something else. Robert followed soon after, the armed agents surrounding him. He looked at his daughter, who merely waved at him as he was taken away.

Sighing, Rosemary took a seat on the porch, watching the action. Agents were coming and leaving from the house, walking in with empty boxes and leaving minutes later with them filled. It was now dawning on her that she really had nowhere to go. Panic flooded her as she looked around anxiously, trying to figure out what to do.

Coulson had been watching the teenager since she came outside. He could see the fear taking over her as she watched everything going on. Sighing softly, he made his way over to her. When she saw the familiar face, she relaxed a bit, but the fear in her eyes was still there.

"So... what's going to happen to me?" She asked quietly, her attention on the agents leaving the house with more things. "I don't have anywhere to go."

"You're 15, so you'll probably end up in foster care." He told her. Her eyes widened at that and she tensed up even more. An idea came to him, and he didn't know why, but it might work. "But, if you're willing, I have another option... but you have to be willing to work with me on this."

"What is it?" She asked, now wary of the agent. "Not gonna lock me up, are you?"

Coulson shook his head. "Not at all. But you need a place to go as well as finish your education." He said, watching her carefully now. "I have an extra room in my apartment. I'm sure the Director will help get some paperwork together that shows I am your legal guardian, that way we can enroll you in the high school in the city."

Her eyes were wide as she listened to him. Live with him? She barely knew him, but at the same time... at the same time, she felt like she could trust him. There was just something about Coulson that made her feel at ease, even with everything going on.

"Why?"

"Why? Because you're a smart young woman." He told her. "And I think you actually have potential to work with SHIELD one day, because they're always looking to recruit people like you. You were very helpful and brave, Rosemary, because not even some agents would have done what you did."

Rosemary nodded, her lower lip trembling. "C-Can I ask a question?"

"Anything." Coulson replied.

"Before you... get those papers done, c-can I get a new name?" She asked. To her relief, Coulson just smiled and nodded.

"Of course."

* * *

**Closing**: Okay so it got a bit silly at times, but I enjoyed writing a grumpy teenager grumping at Coulson. And I realize as I write more of the sequel, more stuff on Remy comes to light as well as other things, so it will be fun to see what all happens.


	18. Chapter 18

**Author's Note**: Here you go! Chapter 18! There's only uh, 24 chapters written in total of this story before it ends, but there is a sequel in the works right now. So enjoy this chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen**

_Present Day_

Remy tensed up as she watched Robert Paterson across the table from her. For a moment, she felt 15 again and was waiting for him to give her a piece of paper filled with numbers. And if she were to say anything, he would strike her. Her mouth felt dry and she looked nervously at Hill, who was keeping her eyes on him.

"We agreed that if Agent Black sat in on the interrogation, you would give us more information on the next target." Hill said, her eyes never leaving him. Robert smiled, but his attention was on Remy, who was fidgeting in her chair. She jumped suddenly when Hill put her hand on her thigh, pinching her. That seemed to snap Remy back to reality.

"Mm. Let me just catch up with her for a moment." He said, that smile still on his face. "My, my, you have gotten fat, darling daughter. Your mother will be disappointed."

So that had to be the first thing he said to her. Remy clenched her fists, but Hill pinched her again and she unclenched them, glancing at the other agent. Hill finally pulled her hand away, placing both on top of the table.

"If you don't start talking now, the agents will have no problem throwing you back into your windowless cell." Hill informed him, her tone icy. "Agent Black was not brought here to play catch up with you, nor to take any abusive comments. If you say one more thing to her, we're done and you won't see the sun for the next 10 years, do you understand?" Or has that cell life rotted your brain already? Hill wanted to add. But she needed to remain professional.

Robert finally tore his gaze from Remy and turned to Hill, smirking. "Ah, yes. Those targets. I believe they said something about Salem..." He frowned. "But which Salem? There are so many in this country..."

"What about the Stark weapon?" Hill asked. He shrugged.

"Given to me by my father." He replied. "And before this monster in front of me destroyed my life, I gave it to my brother. What his daughter did with it is not my concern."

"I'm no mon-"

"You said you knew about the man she was going to give it to." Hill added, silencing Remy with a look. The other agent went quiet again, glaring at Robert. "What is his name?"

"Oh, dear. I cannot remember... it's slipped my mind." He said with a heavy sigh. "I just don't know what to tell you..."

"Tell us the name." Remy demanded. "Is it one of the men you talked too on the phone all those years ago? With those stupid code names?"

He smiled. "You've forgotten your manners, darling. You know better than to speak to me unless I speak first to you." The tone was cold, and even after all of these years, it had the same affect. Remy immediately straightened up and closed her mouth, looking away.

"The name. Or we finish this now." Hill demanded. Robert was ignoring Hill, his focus on Remy. "Paterson, did you hear me? The name."

"I cannot believe you chose SHIELD over your own family." He lamented, shaking his head. "I thought we meant more to you than that, my daughter. You know they will just use you and throw you away in the end, you realize that? You're so talented. There's so many more people you could work for..." He sighed. "But then again, you were never worth much to begin with, so maybe working for an agency like SHIELD is the best you can do. You hate order, darling daughter, as does SHIELD. There are those out there who would like to see a new world, one where the deserving live. It will be like a well oiled machine, ensuring the order of the world. You'll see."

Remy was completely silent. Hill abruptly stood up and signaled to the other agents to take him away. "This is getting pointless. We've leaving now." She said, looking down at Remy. It was a slight worry how still the other agent was. She was making no sound as she was staring down at the table.

"There are more like me, you know!" Robert said as the agents started to lead him from the room. "You destroy one, two more will appear!" And he was out the door and gone.

"Agent Black?" No response so Hill tried again. "Remy?"

Remy shuddered and closed her eyes for a moment before looking up at Hill. "That's similar to what Nora Clark said. This new world order stuff." She said, glancing towards the door. "And... I'm pretty sure he also is in love with HYDRA. What he said, about destroying one and two more will appear? That's basically what HYDRA agents said. I read it in a book. Not to mention it's part of the lore of the hydra from Greek mythology."

"Let's get you out of here." Hill urged gently. Remy stood up, her knees shaking. She didn't realize how much she was actually trembling until she took a step and stumbled, her legs nearly giving out from under her. Thankfully Hill caught her, steadying the younger woman as they made their way to the door. Clint was there in an instant, offering his good arm to Remy. She took it, realizing now how grateful she really was that he was here. It was just for her support, should she need it. And while she was unsettled by having to be in the same room with Robert Paterson, she was glad it happened and that it was over. It cemented the fact that she did the right thing all those years ago, and that the life she had now was so much better.

The trio left the base, heading up the stairs and exiting from the vending machine door. The helicopter was waiting, and once they boarded, Remy curled herself up against Clint, keeping her eyes closed for the entire ride back to the Triskelion. All she wanted to do now was have a cup of coffee and resume her work.

* * *

It had been a weird day and Remy was glad it was finally over. She and Clint left the office together, with her locking up for the night before they went down to the garage. They didn't make any plans for that night, and she wondered if he was just going to go back to his apartment. As they rode the elevator down to the garage, he cleared his throat and looked at her.

"Do you want to go to my place and stay the night?" He asked. Well, that was different. She actually had never been to his apartment before. "I mean, you know, if you want. I'm actually feeding my neighbor's cats tonight, so I have to go there anyways."

Remy couldn't help but smile. "The same cats that beat you up?"

He huffed in annoyance as he headed to his car, but he nodded all the same. "Yes, those cats." He grumbled, glancing back at her. "So, do you want to come? Just leave your car here, okay? I'll make dinner and you can relax."

It sounded good enough for her. She followed him to his car. He opened the door for her; she got in and he shut it. He went to the other side of the car and climbed in, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek before starting his car up. They drove in silence to his apartment, as Remy was curious where he actually lived.

They pulled up to an older looking building. While Remy knew the building she and Coulson lived in was just as old, it had been brought up to date with a modern style. Clint's building looked very much the same as it had since it was built. Maybe that's what he meant by his comment all those weeks ago about how his place looked lived in. He parked the car and climbed out, then opened her door for him. It was sweet of him to do that, but she realized he never did that for her in her car. Maybe it was just a thing he had about his car.

She followed him into the building and up the flight of stairs. Thankfully he seemed to live on the 2nd floor, and Remy was feeling exhausted from the day they had. If she had to walk up another flight, she'd demand to be carried. He went to his door, fumbling with his keys for a moment before he unlocked it, letting her in.

He was right, all those weeks ago. Her place was a museum compared his. While Clint's place wasn't exactly messy, it really showed someone lived there, which surprised her, considering how often he was gone on missions. She figured that since he had been on desk duty, he didn't care so much about the appearance of his apartment.

"So, yea, this is where I live." He said, interrupting her thoughts. Remy looked around and nodded, a smile on her face.

"Well, it certainly is lived in compared to my museum." She teased as she slipped her shoes off. She walked over to Clint and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her carefully, still having to be mindful of his injured arm. She sighed and tilted her head up, resting her chin on his chest. "So, cats?"

"Cats." He sighed, shaking his head as he pulled away of the embrace. "My enemies. I swear they multiply every time I see them."

She giggled at that and followed after him as he left the apartment, going to the one across the hall. Soft meowing could be heard on the other side of the door before Clint opened it slowly. A cat tried to escape but Remy caught it, picking it up. It was a fluffy white cat who was meowing loudly at them both.

"Oh my god, look at that face!" She squealed, hugging the cat. Clint rolled his eyes and led the way into the room, gently nudging the cats out of his way. Remy followed, closing the door to keep any other cats from escaping. She set the white fluffy one down and immediately noticed she was covered in cat fur. "Ugh, that cat is lucky it's so cute."

"See? Cats, man. Can't be trusted." Clint said, shaking his head as he started getting the food ready. Remy took a moment to watch the cats. There really was at least a dozen or more.

"How the hell does she care for all of these?" Remy asked as she went to help him distribute the bowls. "Like... seriously."

"Most of them are just strays she's been feeding." Clint explained as he removed a cat from the counter, setting it on the ground. "She leaves a window open a crack to let them in when it's cold. I've tried to tell her that it's a really bad idea to do that, but she's old and stubborn and won't listen to me."

Remy just shook her head and watched the cats eat. Clint tossed an empty cat food can at her, startling her. "What was that for?!"

"C'mon. The deed is done, so let's go back to my place." He said as he made sure the water bowls were filled before making his way through the sea of cats. "I'm gonna cook you dinner and then we'll watch a movie or something."

She followed after him, also being careful of the cats. "Sounds like a plan to me!"

* * *

Dinner was a simple affair. Clint threw together spaghetti, a salad, and somehow had garlic bread. She didn't question it, or anything he did, because she enjoyed sitting on his couch and watching him work. He even sang to her while he cooked, even though it was the most random songs, mostly ABBA and Queen hits. The only thing that would make it better was if he was in his boxers.

He had just finished singing a Patti Page hit, "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine" when the timer dinged, letting him know everything was ready. He served up a plate of food and brought it over to her before he got himself one. They sat back on the couch, enjoying their meal. Remy scooted closer to him, leaning into him a bit as she ate.

"Y'know. If the agent thing doesn't work out in a few years, you could be one of those dudes who sings in dive bars for tips." She said as she took a bite of garlic bread. He snorted and took a bite of his salad.

"Please. I would be the star of karaoke nights at upscale bars, my dear." He replied as he finished up his food. Remy snorted and tried not to laugh as she ate. "I could have a stage name and everything, something ridiculous. Silver Diamond or something like that."

She set her plate down in her lap once she was finished, shaking her head as she laughed. "That sounds like a porn star name!"

"It'd be the best name. I'd get all the ladies." He teased as he collected their dishes, heading to the kitchen. He started to put away the leftovers as he started to sing again. Remy just shook her head as he belted out "Bella Notte" from Lady and the Tramp.


	19. Chapter 19

**Author's Note:** Ahhh thank you to everyone who's been reading, following, favoriting, everything! It means a lot to me! Here is the latest chapter. I left it on a cliffhanger, because that's what I do, really. I'm actually full on re-writing the sequel and it will be posted one I finish posting this story. And now I'm reaching the end of my school quarter, which means finals and all that fun jazz, so it may be a little slower for the last few chapters to be posted, so sorry about that!

Anyways, here's the next chapter. All kinds of fun talking and stuff to be had in here. :3

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen**

"So like, you gotta work on keeping yourself in check." Clint began as he lay on his back, staring up at his bedroom ceiling. "I know these last few weeks have really sucked, but you can't go off on people like Hill or Fury. They'll probably kill you themselves."

Remy rolled onto her side to look at him, reaching over to run her fingers through his hair. He was right, she really needed to take control of these emotions she'd been having the last few weeks. And she had improved a lot since she was a teenager, but lately she felt like she was being thrown back to those days. Anything anyone said to her could make her cry or scream at them, but this week had been especially bad for her to keep calm.

"So... yea. I wanted to tell you that." He said, looking over at her. "I like you a lot, and I know shit is bad, but I'm not gonna back you up or something if you yell at Hill like that again. I know she was understanding this time because of the circumstances, but she won't always be like that. Nor will Fury."

"I knowwww." Remy replied with a sigh, pulling her hand away from him. "I'm usually pretty good about it. I mean, I just didn't expect all this to happen at once, you know? Nora Clark, her suicide, then meeting with Robert Paterson again... it happened within, what, two weeks? I haven't thought of them for over 10 years, you know, and then everyone seems to want to throw it all back at me all at once."

"Yea, that was kind of shitty." Clint agreed, nodding. "And it could have gone better, I suppose. But it is how SHIELD works from time to time. Just...gotta take it all in stride." He carefully rolled onto his side, being mindful of his arm. He leaned over to her and kissed her, trying to pull her closer to him. Remy grinned and scooted closer, wrapping her arms around him as she returned the kiss. He rolled onto his back, pulling her so she was almost on top of him.

"Are you trying to suggest something here, boyfriend?" She teased as she sat up to straddle his waist. "I mean, we go for round number three if you want."

Clint suddenly sat up, his good arm reaching around her to keep her from falling backwards from the sudden movement. He gave her another kiss and shrugged, his hand now rubbing circles on her lower back. "Nah. I just wanna talk. It's nice to do this without fear of like, Coulson breaking down the door or telling us to quiet down."

She laughed at that, covering her mouth with her hand as she remembered one night when Coulson pounded on their adjoining wall to yell at them. They hadn't even been doing anything, just talking. But apparently it was loud enough that the other agent couldn't sleep. Needless to say, the couple found it hilarious and proceeded to talk even louder, as well as bouncing on the bed a bit. They stopped when Coulson threatened to shoot them.

Remy made herself comfortable in his lap and kissed him again, nipping gently at his bottom lip. "Hey, am I allowed to be scared?"

"Scared of global warming? Hell yea." Clint replied as he tried to scoot back towards the headboard of the bed to lean back. It was difficult to do it with both Remy in his lap and his hurt arm, but she got the idea and moved off his lap until he was comfortable, then took her place once again. "Or scared of bed bugs? Because my sheets are clean, you know."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, no."

"Oh, scared of ghosts? I mean, this place is probably haunted..."

"Cliiiiint."

"Whaaat?"

Remy just shook her head. "I was gonna say scared about this... weird... neo-HYDRA thing." She said, biting down on her bottom lip. "I mean, I was thinking about it, you know, and growing up, he had a map that had these flags on it, in different locations of the country. The little flags had an image on it, and I realize _now_ that it was HYDRA's little mascot guy, the skull with the tentacles." She sighed. "I'm kind of scared because what if something happens to you or SHIELD because of what I could know? Robert Paterson is communicating with someone on the outside, Hill told us that, remember? They could be dangerous."

"Well, frankly, I'd be concerned if you weren't scared." Clint told her as he leaned back, pulling her into his arms. "Everyone gets scared on the job, even Tasha. Just don't tell her I told you that." He glanced around. "She'll kill me."

"Can we be serious?"

"I'm being serious." He said, pouting at her. "No, really, I am. I was scared when you went to Seattle, and scared when you were in the interrogation with Hill. It's part of being an agent. You get scared, because no matter how trained or prepared you are for it, you're gonna get scared when a bullet flies by you or a rat runs across your path. It doesn't matter your level or experience, you are allowed to get scared."

She sighed softly and nodded. "I just... never expected to go through this kind of stuff. I just wanted to type things on a computer."

"Yea, but you do work for SHIELD... I think it was kind of inevitable that you'd start to do bad ass stuff." Clint told her with a shrug. "If you are really scared, talk to Tasha or Sally about working with you for more self defense. You know it would be good to learn."

"I can't just bug them like that... they're busy." She said, shaking her head. "I don't want to be a bother."

"You can ask _someone_ for them then." He huffed, frowning. "I'd do it, but it's kind of hard with the arm. I just want you to be safe."

Remy sighed softly and nodded. "Yea, I know. I should learn something besides just kneeing the attacker in the balls. I'll check with the gym to see if anyone's gonna do classes for us desk people."

"Good plan." Clint said with a grin. "Now, I'm done talking. Can we do something else?"

"Oh my god, yes."

* * *

They were back at the office first thing the next morning, working away on the files. Despite the 15 extra boxes that Jameson had told them about, they were making their way through them. Remy gave them both a goal to get through at least half of a box each before noon, because Clint had to go see the doctor to get the cast _finally_ removed and replaced with a more softer one. He was thrilled that he would be able to start working out again.

They didn't talk while they worked the first two hours. Remy was pretty determined to not miss their goal, and if there were no distractions, she was certain they would make it. She typed along, briefly looking at the form every so often before her eyes returned to the computer screen, focusing on every stroke of the keyboard. She could hear Clint over on his computer, his pace not as fast as hers but it had improved greatly since he first started. For every 10 forms she did, he was up to 8. It was a miracle and she was really impressed, especially considering how much he really did hate the work.

Both were completely focused for the most part. The only movement they made was when Remy's phone rang, startling her out of her zone as she slapped both palms on the desk. Clint glanced over at her, a grin on his face as he resisted commenting on her jumpiness. She shot him a warning look as she picked up her phone.

"This is Agent Black." She said, unsure how to really answer the phone. "Uh... how's the weather?"

"Weather?" Came the voice of Sally Keller. "Is that supposed to be some new code?"

"No? I don't know. How am I supposed to answer this damn phone?" Remy asked with a sigh. "Anyways, what can I do for you?" It had been a while since she last spoke to Sally. And while Remy had not been avoiding her, she also hadn't been actively searching her out. So it was a bit of a surprise to hear her voice on the other line.

"Well, I'm temporarily reassigned to this location until further notice, and I thought maybe you'd want some additional help in firing a gun." Sally said. Remy tried not to groan as she rolled her eyes. "Look, you know you need to work on that. I also know you hate going near guns, but for your own safety, you really need to practice."

"I knowwww." Remy sighed. "I'm just not thrilled with the idea."

"I get it. And if you're free after your shift today, come find me and we'll head down to the range." Sally told her. "You can bring Barton if you want."

Remy glanced over at Clint, who was trying to appear like he was working even though he was trying to listen to her conversation. "Yea, I might do that. He hopefully gets the cast off today, only to get it replaced with a different one. But he'll probably like shooting something once this is all over."

"Just so long as he shoots a target, I'm fine with it." Sally replied. "So, let's plan for about 5:30 or so? We can just meet at the range down below. Barton knows where it is."

"Sure, works for me." Remy said. They chatted a few more minutes before hanging up the phone. Groaning, she slumped back in her chair. "I don't wannaaaaa."

She was hit by a balled up piece of paper in response. She glared at Clint, who was trying to look innocent as he typed away on his computer. Remy sighed as she sat in her chair, one foot helping pivot her chair to twist around a bit. "Do you wanna go down to the firing range and watch me attempt to shoot a gun later today?"

"Of course." Clint replied, not looking up. "I think I'll start a betting pool with Keller to see how long it takes you to actually fire the gun. I say it takes you 10 minutes from picking up the gun to pulling the trigger." He grinned. "And another 10 for you to get over the fact you fired a gun."

"I'll pull your trigger." Remy grumbled as she looked back at her screen. "And fire _your_ gun."

"What was that?"

"Nothing!" She replied in a sing-song voice. Grinning, she went back to entering the forms. It would be kind of fun to go learn how to fire a weapon, but at the same time, she really didn't want too. But she knew Clint wanted her to learn some more self defense, and it would probably be wise to learn how to fire a gun properly. Brock had seen her shoot the gun towards Nora back at the hotel, and he teased her a few times about it since then. Well, she wasn't a big hot shot agent like he was, so of course she couldn't aim the gun that well.

Shaking her head, she finished the document she was working on before moving to the next one. She was going to get through as much as she could today without any interruptions.

Except her phone rang again. Groaning, she let it ring a few times before she answered it. It was nice in the old office, because there was no phone in there, except for cell phones. But now there was an actual office phone. And people called Remy. Not many, but enough to make her wish she didn't have a phone.

"Agent Black speaking." This time, she dropped the question about the weather.

"Glad you know how to use your phone." Fury said, his tone sarcastic. "I figured if you didn't answer, I'd have to come down there myself, which isn't something I want to do."

"Oh, uh, Director. How can I help you?"

"I need you to come up to my office for a meeting. Be here in the next ten minutes, Agent Black." And he hung up. She rolled her eyes and pushed away from her desk, groaning. Clint glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow.

"Where are you off too?" He asked before looking back at the computer screen. Remy sighed as she straightened her blouse and skirt.

"Off to Fury's office for a meeting." She replied as she headed to the door. "I'll return eventually." He pouted, but she just gave him a pat on the head before leaving the room. She made her way to the elevator and climbed on, hitting Fury's floor number. This was still new to her, because the elevator prompted her for a code, since apparently not just anyone was allowed to this floor to speak to the Director. Rolling her eyes, she punched in the code on the number pad, which accepted it and began to ascend.

She knocked on the door to his office when she arrived. She could hear him on the other side of the door telling her to come in, so she slowly opened the door, peeking around it before finally walking in. He didn't look very happy, but then again, Remy figured he never looked thrilled to see her for whatever reason.

"Have a seat, Agent Black."

Nodding, Remy took the seat across from him. She had a feeling she would start to be familiar with this chair as time went by, if this was how they were going to conduct these 'meetings'. They sat in silence for a few minutes, staring at each other. Fury had his hands resting on top of a manila folder, no doubt containing a file he wanted her to look at. She lifted her hand up, her eyes never leaving his as she began to reach for the file.

"Not yet." He said, pulling the file towards him. "We need to have a discussion about Agent Jameson."

Oh. Remy pulled her hand back and nodded. "What about him, sir?"

"What the hell is going on between you two?" Fury asked. "Barton informed me of the latest altercation between you two, and from what he told me, it sounds as though Jameson threatened you."

"Well, that..." Remy hesitated. "I suppose it was."

"Tell me exactly what was said." Fury ordered. "I know you remember word for word, and I'll know if you're embellishing the story." She sighed. "Out with it, Agent Black."

* * *

**Closing Note**: Of course it ends like that, because that's the only way I know to end a chapter. Mid conversation and all!


	20. Chapter 20

**Author's Note:** So I've taken this story in a different route now, because I realized how weird it was going originally. But I'm liking it better now and the story should be a lot smoother than how I wanted it to be in the first place. Aw yisss.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty**

It really only took Remy a few minutes to tell Fury what had happened in the office, but then she hesitated again before finishing up with what had been said at the first meeting and then during the mission. Fury did not look happy, but she wasn't sure if it was because of what happened or if that was just how his face would look during the entire meeting.

"Why didn't you say something?" Fury asked. Remy was surprised by the gentle tone in his voice.

"Well... I don't know, I just didn't want to draw attention to it." She said, shrugging. "It was more bothersome than anything, and it didn't get to me as much as it was getting to Agent Keller or Rumlow. I mean, do I like being made fun of because of my size? No, but I'm not going to cry about it every time someone does."

Fury nodded. "Next time he does that, let someone know. Don't just shoulder it. We don't need you having some sort of psychotic break, all right?"

Remy rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"Glad we have an understanding. Now, these files are in SHIELD's database, but I would like you to look over them as well, Agent Black." He said as he handed her the folder. "Not many people know about it, and we'd like to keep it that way."

"So... why is it in the database then?" She asked, opening the folder. The pages were schematics for weapons; the words 'Phase Two' were printed at the top of each one. She studied the first one, frowning a bit. "I mean, isn't the reason you're having me look at these is so you don't have to have them in the database?"

"It's an ongoing project." Fury explained as he watched her take in the information in the folder. "So people are still accessing it, but I would like you to know what the information is as well, understand?"

Nodding, she went quiet as she studied the papers. The images of the weapons made her feel uneasy – they looked dangerous, like they could do some serious damage if used properly. When Remy got to the last one, she frowned, looking it over. "Wait. This last one looks familiar..." She murmured. Her eyes widened and she looked at Fury. "I saw these in that HYDRA book I read! Are these HYDRA weapons?! Are you serious?!"

"Here's the thing, Agent Black. I'm not asking you to question what these files are. All I need you to do is store them away in that memory of yours for use at a later date. The only time I will ever ask you about them is if I need something, understand?"

"But sir-"

"No, Agent Black. SHIELD has reasons for needing these made, and you will keep it to yourself, do you understand?" Fury told her firmly. "You will not talk about this to anyone _at all_. I will not hesitate to lock you up should you say something to the wrong person." Remy could only nod as she stared at the last file in her hand. "That includes Barton. Do not breathe a word to anyone except me."

"What about Coulson?" She asked quietly. "What if he needs to know?"

Fury fixed her with a look. "Agent Coulson and Agent Hill are likely the only two exceptions to this rule. But no one else, understand?" When she didn't reply, he tried again. "Do we understand each other, Agent Black?"

"Yes, Director Fury." Remy replied as she handed the folder back to him. "Anything else you need me to store away?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." He said, tucking the file into a drawer before withdrawing another one. "This one can be a matter of life and death, and I especially do not need this one to get around, all right? Keep this one between only you and me." Fury passed a new folder over to Remy, then sat back and waited. She took it from him and frowned, looking over the heading of it.

"What's this about Tahiti?"

* * *

She stewed over the files when she got back to the office, not mentioning anything to Clint. Though she had only been gone an hour, Clint was acting like she had been gone on day. He fussed about people stopping by to drop things off, and to say they needed to speak to her for some reason. It was frustrating because it meant he had to stop working every few minutes to talk to them.

"I am not your personal secretary, you know." He grumbled, looking over at her. When he saw how distracted she was, he tried again. "I mean, unless that's a kink of yours, me making typos and you getting turned on by them..."

"Wait, _what_?" Remy looked up at that, eyes wide. Clint grinned.

"I was just wondering if you were okay, that's all." Well, that was a lie.

"Oh, yea. I'm okay." She said with a shrug as she typed away on her computer. "I just can't wait to fire a gun. It should be liberating or something."

Clint wasn't sure if that was sarcasm or not, so he just shrugged as he returned to his computer. "Oh, so, don't forget I have to leave a little before noon, because of my doctor's appointment. You know, to remove this damn cast." Remy looked up at that. "I don't know how long it will take, though. They're going to put on a softer one to keep me from like, re-breaking it during this stage in the healing."

"Right, yea. Okay." She just nodded as she looked back at the screen. Something was off, because normally she wasn't this distracted. Clint sighed and shook his head. He wasn't going to bring this up in the office, not when there was the chance of someone walking in on them _again_. He'd try to talk to her after the range.

* * *

"Okay. This is a standard issue gun that most SHIELD agents use. Unless you're Miss Fancy Pants Romanoff." Sally explained, waggling her eyebrows at Natasha. The female assassin only smirked as she pulled out her own guns from their case. Remy looked at the gun Sally had – it was in pieces. "But because you're learning, we're going to use a not-so-fancy one."

"Wait. Now, I don't know shit beyond shit about guns, but aren't they usually not in pieces?" Remy asked, gesturing to the sight before her. Sally grinned.

"You're also going to learn how to assemble and disassemble one."

Remy groaned. "Really?"

"Yep. You'll do fine. Watch." And Sally's hands moved fast as she reassembled the gun, put a cartridge in, and aimed the weapon down the range towards the target, firing off one shot. Remy just stared, shocked the entire time. "Okay, watch my hands while I do this. I'll move slower this time."

All four of them were down there, as were some other agents. Sally and Remy were down at the far end, while Clint and Natasha stayed nearby. Clint was thrilled at being able to come down, firing every bullet he had into the target. It felt like an eternity since he last fired a gun, even though it had only been a little over a month. He was relieved that his aim wasn't off even though he hadn't practiced for that long.

Remy, on the other hand, was half thrilled to be there, half repulsed. But she didn't say anything, considering Sally was going out of her way to help her out, and she was grateful to the other agent. So Remy listened and watched as Sally went through the steps of assembling the weapon, patiently correcting Remy if she made a mistake. Once she felt Remy could do it, she timed her.

"I want to see how fast you can do this without any mistakes, okay?" Sally instructed, looking at her cell phone. "Go!"

And so Remy began assembling the gun, her mind replaying the steps she had watched Sally do over and over again. She was impressed by how fast her fingers moved. Once it was assembled, she laid the gun back down, raising both of her hands up. Sally raised an eyebrow and stopped the clock.

"Under two minutes. Not bad." Sally said with an approving nod. She looked at Remy, raising an eyebrow. "Did you cheat?"

"What? Me?" Remy tried to look innocent. "Never. I just have an excellent memory and copied what you did."

Sally just shook her head and began to show her how to load the cartridge. Remy watched, though her attention drifted over to Clint. He had taken his jacket off by this point, still shooting a target. Now he was trying to shoot with his bad arm. He winced a few times when he pulled the trigger, but it was so subtle that she almost didn't notice. What she did notice was how at peace he looked for the first time since she had started on the digitizing project.

She eventually turned her full attention to Clint, completely ignoring Sally and her instructions. It started to dawn on her how quickly what she had could be all over. Once Clint was deemed fit for duty, he would leave her and likely be reassigned. Why wouldn't he? He was a top agent, deadly useful, and excelled in the field. Remy was just some desk clerk. The only claim to fame she had at SHIELD was the time she called out Sitwell for staring at her chest during a meeting. It wasn't her fault the button popped open when she was reaching for a pen. It was worth being chewed out by Fury for interrupting the meeting like that, however.

"Earth to Agent Black." Sally tapped her on the back of the head with her knuckles. "You in there?"

"Huh?" Remy blinked stupidly and finally looked away from Clint. "I'm listening."

Sally raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh. Stop staring at him and pay attention, okay? This is important. Safety first, my dear."

And then Sally started again with instructing her how to load the gun. This time Remy did pay attention. She absorbed the information Sally gave her, watching the trained agent's hands as she loaded the gun, cocked it, then fired a shot into the target. Now it was Remy's turn and she tried not to shake to much as she reached for the gun. For some reason, the idea of doing this was now getting to her. She had fired a gun before the Seattle mission, but it was during her early days at SHIELD when she and Brock had dated. He was trying to get her interested in shooting, but the noise and sensation of firing the weapon freaked her out to much, so he gave up trying.

Remy took a deep breath, put on her ear protection, and picked the gun up. She aimed it at the target, nearly firing the damn thing when she felt Sally adjust her stance and grip on the weapon. This was it. She was going to fire a gun. This thing she was holding could easily end a life should the need arise, and the idea sickened her. She swallowed hard and gently squeezed the trigger.

It wasn't as loud as she thought it was, but she was startled. Thankfully she didn't drop the gun, instead passing it off to Sally. It rattled her nerves more than she thought and her stomach churned. Her hands were shaking as she removed the bulky ear protection from her head, setting them on the table.

"How'd I do, teach?" Remy asked, trying to make a joke, though her wavering voice didn't help. Sally raised an eyebrow as she pushed a button to pull the target towards them.

"Well, let's see." Sally said as she removed the target, inspecting it. She pointed out one of the bullet holes. "I got him right between the eyes. And you..." She pointed to a hole in the left shoulder. "nailed him in the shoulder. Not quite a kill shot, but you would injure your attacker." Remy felt her mouth go dry and she nodded. Sally looked at the other agent and sighed. "Let's call it a day. You look like you want to go vomit."

"I do. I really do." And with that, Remy turned away from her, marching out of the range and to the nearest bathroom. She didn't say a word to anyone as she went to the first empty stall she found and promptly threw up, her nerves rattled. She never wanted to fire a gun again.

* * *

**Closing Note: **I'm not super crazy about this chapter, but I needed a bit of filler and somethings to help lead this up closer to the Avengers. And it was these next few chapters that made me realize how much I needed to change the way the story was going, because I realized I was introducing Remy and not giving her a whole lot of depth all of a sudden before moving on with the story, so I hope you enjoyed this filler chapter!


	21. Chapter 21

**Author's Note**: Okay so the story has taken a different turn than I originally wanted, so I apologize if it gets a bit wonky for a few chapters from this point on. Originally it was to end at chapter 24 and go into something different, but I decided that the original plan was not going to work at all and went with something different. I'm actually enjoying the new turn more now, so I hope y'all enjoy it.

Anyway, here's chapter 21.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One**

A week passed since the first lesson, and Remy begrudgingly continued working with Sally. She managed to only throw up twice during the whole week, though she did burst into tears when she would go back to the apartment. Coulson had been gone, so she was free to cry in peace whenever she wanted. Clint had been staying at his apartment, due to feeding the cats again, so she was alone with her thoughts for most of the time.

So when she let herself into the apartment the following Monday evening, she immediately burst into tears. Clint had been with them at the firing range again, and he was getting back into the swing of things. He had said during lunch that he planned to talk to Fury about letting him go back into the field, since he was getting better at firing the guns with both hands now. Remy felt her heart break, but she nodded all the same, plastering a fake smile on her face and teasing him about it.

"What happened?"

She screamed in surprise, jumping around to see a concerned Coulson standing there. He was in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, looking like he just woke up from a nap. Remy tried to dry her eyes quickly, not wanting to let him know she had been crying. She didn't want him to worry, but Coulson knew something was wrong. After 12 years of living with her, he was able to pick up when she was lying like that.

"Remy, what's wrong?" He tried again. She shook her head, the tears now flooding her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak. Instead a sob came out and she dropped to her knees, covering her face. With a sigh, Coulson walked over to her and pulled her to her feet, leading her over to the couch and sitting down with her. "I can't help unless you tell me what's wrong, you know."

It took her a few minutes before she could speak. She wiped her eyes on the back of her sleeve, sniffling loudly. "I fired a gun today. And this time I hit the target between the eyes."

Coulson sighed. "Is that it?"

"No." She sniffed. "Clint plans to talk to Fury about getting back into the field. He wants to get back to his real work." Her breathing hitched. "I knew this wasn't a permanent thing, and that I had to expect that eventually he would leave, but I don't want it to happen."

"Well, you knew what to expect when you got into this, Remy." Coulson told her, putting his hand on her back comfortingly. "I'm not much of a fan of this office romance business, and you knew the risks going in, as did Barton." She nodded. "Just remember he's not abandoning you. And he will come back to you when he can."

"I know! But... but it's hard. It's really hard." She cried, fresh tears rolling down her cheeks. "Even now, he's over at his apartment feeding his neighbor's cats, and I'm here, and it's just hard being away from him. We're not even twenty-five minutes away from each other, and it hurts to be here without him." She sniffled. "We haven't even been dating that long, you know, like what, six weeks?"

"But you two have known each other for a few years." Coulson reminded her as he handed her a tissue. She took it and blew her nose. "You both started out as friends before taking the next step, and since you two started dating, he has been a little more pleasant."

Remy smiled a bit. "Oh, come on, you aren't stuck in the office with him. He's never pleasant." She replied teasingly, grabbing a new tissue to dry her eyes. She let out a shaky breath. "I just... want him with me always. But that's really selfish of me, and I really need to work on that. I can't just think of myself now, especially working with the agency."

"That is true." Coulson said with a nod.

"I gotta take this all in stride, right?" She said. "I mean, he could be reassigned somewhere else tomorrow, or not for another month. I shouldn't worry about things that are out of my control, right?"

Coulson shrugged. "You gotta do what you gotta do. I think if you're this upset, you should talk to him and let him know what's going on." He said as he got up to head to the kitchen. "I'm going to make some spaghetti for dinner. Do you want some, or do you have plans?"

Remy slumped back into the couch and sighed. "I don't have any plans. Can I spend the night crying the entire time at you? I bet there's more things I can cry over." She faked a sob. "My mother never hugged me enough as a child!"

"You told me it was because you didn't want her hugging you." Coulson retorted. "You said it was like hugging a skeleton." He rummaged through the cupboards. "You actually never wanted your family hugging you."

Remy got up and headed to the kitchen to help him out. "That's because they were all evil and I didn't want to somehow absorb their evil." She replied as she filled a pot with water for the noodles. "And did you know that I only had one peanut butter and jelly sandwich when I was growing up in that hell? ONE! That's just unheard of."

"Now you're being dramatic." He teased. "I see you eat them all the time."

"That's because I'm an adult who can make adult decisions." Remy retorted as she waited for the water to boil.

"Says the woman with stuffed animals all over her bed."

"From the man with the Captain America crush."

They stared at each other, both having a silent agreement that they were indeed both adults in their own way. The water began to boil and Remy dumped the box of noodles into it, poking at it with a wooden spoon. Coulson stood next to her as he began to work on the sauce. He always enjoyed having these nights alone with her, because he often reflected back to when she first came under his care. It had shocked him that despite how independent her personality was, she was very much dependent when it came to other things.

One of the biggest shocks was that she didn't know how to operate a microwave. It wasn't as though her house didn't have one, but it was the fact that she spent most of her life in a boarding school of some kind that she never learned to use one. When she was at home, her parents told her to have the cooks prepare things for her, but that was difficult, because the cooks were under a strict order from Remy's mother not to let the girl snack or eat anything that could possibly be considered unhealthy. It was actually quite dangerous, because her mother had it in her head that Remy needed to be kept at a certain weight for her entire life, as well as be in shape, just to land the perfect husband.

When she came to live with Coulson, he managed to convince her to go to the doctor to get checked over, because even he knew it was unhealthy for someone to be as bony as she was. With help from the physician and a few SHIELD agents who loved to cook, Coulson managed to help Remy get back to a healthy weight. It took a lot of time and patience, because she had a fear of asking him for food. It was like dealing with a toddler sometimes, asking if she was hungry and what she wanted to eat. It took nearly a year to get her over that issue, and once she realized she was allowed to eat whenever, she put on a little more weight.

Coulson sighed as he began to make the sauce, glancing over at her again. She had improved a lot over the years, even if he wasn't around as much as he should have been when she needed him. Granted, she still had some issues to deal with, but he was pleased that she wasn't completely screwed up having been under his care. He was grateful for the support he had from some of the agents. Melinda May had stepped in several times to help Remy when he was gone, even if it was to just pick her up from school and make sure she ate dinner. It took the teenager a while to warm up to the other agent, but when she finally did, Melinda May was her hero.

Possibly because she was one the only other person besides Coulson to encourage her with school and her interests. The agent had actually gotten Remy interested in data entry work at SHIELD after spending an afternoon with her. Granted, that was the same afternoon Remy memorized her card number to order her flowers, but it had been eye opening for the teenager.

And now as Coulson watched her stir the pasta rapidly in the pan, he felt proud of what she had accomplished. With a sigh, he put his arm around her and gave her a sideways hug.

"What are you doing?"

"Having a moment."

"Ugh, Phiiiiil."

"Shh, let me have my moment."

Remy rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything else.

* * *

Remy let herself into an empty office that Tuesday morning. There was a sinking feeling in her gut when Clint wasn't there to greet her. She tried to shake the feeling of dread off as she unlocked the door, letting herself in. He was probably on his way in right now, and that he would be there any second with coffee and a snack. It would give her a few minutes to herself, which she needed anyways.

She set her things down and went over to her desk, only to pause when she saw the computer screen. Last night it was turned off when she left, and no one had keys to this office except Fury and herself. Not even Clint could go in there without her, so why was the computer screen on? Not to mention the schematics for Phase Two were up on her screen. She didn't access those at all last night, or ever, when she really thought about it; not to mention she had put them out of her mind since looking at the printed files.

Something didn't feel right. Who would have accessed her office like this? Remy glanced around cautiously, almost expecting someone to jump out from behind something. Except the only other object in the office was a potted plant, and no one could fit behind there. With a sigh, she tried to exit the files on the screen. Except, for whatever reason, her computer was frozen. That was weird as well.

Grumbling, Remy hit the three magical keys: CTRL+ALT+DELETE. That would work to reboot the computer. As the screen went black, Remy picked up her phone, dialing Fury's number. She needed to speak to him about this.

He picked up on the first ring. "What is it, Agent Black?"

"Sir, I'm sorry to call this early, but did you go into my office today?" She asked, watching her computer. The screen was still black. That wasn't completely normal.

"No. And no one but you and I have access into there." Fury reminded her. "What happened?"

"I came into my office just now and... the files for Phase Two were up on the screen." She told him. The screen flashed to green, the words 'CORRUPTED DATABASE' flashed on the screen. That could not be good. The next set of words that came up made her heart stop: DELETING DATABASE. "Oh, shit. SHIT."

"Agent Black!"

"Sir, you need to come to my office _now_ because something is wrong. I might have just fucked SHIELD over."

Fury swore and then there was a dial tone. Remy didn't know what to do, staring at her computer with wide eyes. She could not have just destroyed the files on the server. There _had_ to be a back up somewhere if that was the case. There was a protocol for this sort of thing, but she couldn't remember it.

She looked up when both Fury and Clint entered the office. Fury made his way over to the desk, looking at the screen as the last of the files claimed to be deleted. Clint frowned as he took a seat at his desk, wondering what was going on. Remy stayed quiet, watching as the director tried typing different combinations of keys. Nothing seemed to work. The computer screen said 'Database Cleared', whatever the hell that meant.

"Oh my god. I killed it." Remy groaned. "I'm going to die, aren't I? Can I request my execution style?"

"Come to my office, Agent Black." Fury ordered as he walked away from her desk. "You too, Agent Barton."

Remy looked fearfully at Clint. Because if the Director wanted to talk to him as well, that meant a possible reassignment. And for some reason, Remy thought that was a worse thing to happen then her deleting the Phase Two files off of the computer.

* * *

**Closing Note:**

I enjoyed writing the Coulson part. And really, Remy's more concerned about Clint having to go away than maybe fucking everything else over. She has her priorities straight.


	22. Chapter 22

**Author's Note: **Aw yea. Chapter 22.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

This was it. This was the day Remy was going to get kicked out of SHIELD. She was trying to figure out if there was a way she could live through all of this, but every scenario in her mind ended with her death. She followed Fury to his office. Clint was behind her, not saying a word. She wanted to say something to him, but nothing came to mind. The silence was broken when Fury told Clint to wait outside the door.

She followed him into the office and took a seat, looking across his desk at him. For some reason, he was calm, and that scared her worse than the potential death waiting for her. He looked at his computer for a moment, then back at her.

"I can see your brain working there, Agent Black." He said, startling her. "You're not in trouble."

"Wait, but I-"

"You didn't destroy anything." Fury assured her. "Those were dummy files I had put in place. There's been some suspicious activity on the servers lately, and those were planted to catch whoever it was." Remy's eyes widened. She was in the clear then. "What I did not expect was that the suspect would use your computer to access these files. Thankfully the web cam turned on like it was supposed to when the files were accessed, that way we could see the suspect."

"And?"

"I haven't looked at the footage yet." Fury said, raising an eyebrow. "I was interrupted by someone swearing loudly into my ear."

Remy looked sheepish. "Sorry."

Fury grumbled to himself as he loaded up the footage on his computer. Remy waited patiently, wondering who it might be. He must have found out, because a moment later he was picking up his phone and dialing a number. She kept quiet.

"I need some of the strike team to go find Agent Henry Jameson. He may be on SHIELD property, or he might be running. This is urgent, understand? And have him brought in alive." He hung up the phone after that and looked at Remy. "This just got fun."

"I fail to see how this is fun." She sighed. "So, explain to me. I didn't destroy the files? But the ones I saw were identical to what you had me look at."

"They were the same files, but they were designed to be deleted off the server at this location should an unauthorized user access them." Fury replied. "So while they were wiped out of the system here, I have them backed up elsewhere at other locations, as well as in your brain."

Remy groaned. "So I freaked out for nothing? I had this plan to escape should the firing squad come for me." She rubbed her face. "I'm off the hook then? I'm okay?"

Fury could only grin in amusement by how she was reacting. "Go back to your office, Agent Black. And send Barton in."

She tensed up for a moment, but nodded. Sighing, she got to her feet and went to the door, opening it up. Clint was still out there, waiting patiently. She gave him a small smile as she stepped out. "Director Fury would like to see you."

"Sounds good to me." He said with a shrug as he walked past her, closing the door behind her. She stared at the door for a moment before retreating to the elevator. Might as well get started on work.

* * *

Clint returned a half hour later. Remy resisted looking up when he came in, choosing instead to focus on her work. However, when a shadow was cast over her desk, she looked up, surprised to see him standing there. A feeling of dread flooded her as she saw the expression on his face.

"Fury thinks I've healed enough." He began, scratching the back of his head as he tried to keep his gaze on her. "I'm being reassigned."

"Oh."

"Yea, um. I leave in two days."

Remy nodded and looked away from him, turning her attention back to her computer. Tears burned in the corner of her eyes as she went back to typing. She took a few deep breaths, trying to keep herself under control.

"Look, can we go out to dinner tonight? To talk?" Clint asked. "I just... we need to talk about this."

"Yea, I know." She replied, her voice tight. "Dinner tonight will work."

Clint nodded. "Okay. Um... yea, okay."

They didn't say much after that as Clint went to his desk, pulling up the program. He looked over at her, but she didn't respond, her focus on the screen in front of her. Sighing, he sat back in his chair and began to work.

* * *

The whole work day was long and uncomfortable. It was probably the first time either of them said nothing to the other since they started working together. When the end of the day came, Remy turned off her computer and looked at Clint. He was getting his coat on, not looking at her.

She sighed. "So, do we just... want to carpool from here, or do you want to meet up there?"

"How about you go home and get ready, I'll go home and get ready, then I'll pick you up and we go out. Then you can crash at my place." Clint suggested, glancing back at her. "It will be fun. Make sure to pack an overnight bag."

"Sure, okay. Let's do that. Pick me up at about 6:30 then?" She replied as they stepped out of the office. She triple checked that she locked the door, not wanting anyone to get in there. The fact that Jameson had been in her office upset her almost as much as Clint being reassigned. But she chose not to say that as they made their way to the elevator. They climbed on; Remy hit the number for the parking garage. She turned to say something to Clint, but he caught her by surprise when he pressed his lips to hers, his arms wrapping around her.

When he finally broke the kiss, she took a deep breath. "I didn't see that coming."

"Nah, I didn't think you would." Clint replied with a small grin. He was about to say something else, but this time Remy stood up on her tip toes and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He grunted and kissed her, backing her up against the wall. It had been a few days since they last kissed, and it was almost like they were making up for lost time.

They were so distracted they didn't register the elevator stopping at a floor. It wasn't until someone cleared their throat that they broke apart. A young agent stood at the opening, his eyes wide in surprise. He opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to think of something witty to say. Instead, he just sighed. "You know, I'll catch the next one."

"Thank you." Clint replied as he pressed the 'close door' button. Remy giggled softly and looked up at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"We could try it in the elevator..."

"Nah, too many cameras." Clint said, sighing. "Otherwise I'd be all over that idea."

"Fiiiiine." Remy sighed, defeated. The elevator continued down to the parking garage. "So, 6:30 for dinner. You'll come pick me up?"

Clint nodded, stealing another kiss as the doors opened to their floor. "Of course. Dress nice, okay? We'll go to a fancy restaurant."

Remy raised an eyebrow, but nodded. "Sure, fancy restaurant. Last time you said that we ended up at a pizza place."

"This is a step above the pizza place, I promise." He told her as he walked her to her car. "Wine will be served and everything."

"I don't drink wine." She told him, shaking her head.

"Fine, beer. They serve beer." He said, kissing her cheek before heading over to his car. "6:30! Be ready!"

Remy smiled and shook her head before climbing into the car. She had no idea what to expect from him.

* * *

She was standing at the curb by 6:27. Remy had listened to him when he said to dress nice, so she wore her red dress from the time they went out to the bar before her mission, but this time opted for black heels instead of the black Converse. She wondered where he was taking her, and why he decided for a fancy restaurant. Granted, it wasn't often she dressed herself up for a night out, and secretly, she enjoyed prettying herself up for him tonight, but she couldn't help but really wonder _why_ he's taking her out. Often they just went to one of their apartments and either ordered take out or cooked.

His car pulled up to the curb while she was deep in thought. With a grin, he honked the horn, startling her. The look on her face was worth it as she climbed into the car, glaring at him. Clint just grinned at her as he pulled back onto the street. Remy rolled her eyes and sat back in her seat, taking this time to look him over. He was dressed nice, actually. Black slacks, a purple button up, and a black bowtie. She couldn't help it and giggled at the bowtie.

"What's so funny?" He asked as he drove along. "Are you judging my outfit?"

"I'm judging your bowtie." She replied, reaching over to adjust it. "You look cute, like you're ready for picture day at school."

"Oh hush. I look dashing." He retorted as he turned down a street. "My neighbor helped me tie it and he said I looked very handsome."

"Oh, I'm not denying that. You look really handsome." Remy grinned, looking him over. "But it reminds me of high school picture day."

Clint rolled his eyes as he finally pulled his car to the side to park it. Remy leaned over and kissed his cheek before opening the door and stepping out, frowning when she saw where they were.

"This... is your apartment building." She said, turning to look at him. "I thought we were going to a restaurant?"

He locked the car up and shrugged as he walked over to her, taking her hand in his as he led her into the building. "Okay, so this isn't quite a restaurant. I didn't want to be around a lot of people." He told her as they climbed the stairs. Remy followed, and was even more confused when they didn't stop at his place. They kept climbing the stairs until they got to the door for the roof.

"So, are you gonna push me off the building or...?" She teased as he unlocked the door. Clint gave her an unamused look as he escorted her outside. Remy was about to keep teasing him when she saw what was before her. She gasped, covering her mouth quickly as she stared.

There was a table set up with a table cloth, outdoor party lights, candles, a small charcoal grill, and a cooler that was probably filled with the food and beer. While it wasn't the fancy restaurant Remy had been anticipating, it was a million times better. It was more personable, not to mention she got to watch Clint cook for her, which was something she had grown to enjoy.

"So I lied. This isn't a fancy restaurant." Clint said sheepishly as he went to over to the grill. "One of my neighbors was awesome and helped me set this up, then she heated up the grill while I went to get you, so I can get right to cooking." He looked over at her. "I thought burgers would be a good dinner, so how about it, Remy?"

To his surprise, she burst into tears. That was not the reaction he had been expecting. "Oh, shit, were you really expecting a fancy restaurant? I mean, we can go to one..."

"No, you idiot, that's not why I'm crying!" She said, her voice full of laughter. He was even more confused now. She was laughing _and_ crying. "I'm just so blown away and touched by this... that's why I'm crying."

"Oh, thank God, okay. I thought something was _really_ wrong." He replied, looking relieved.

She dried her eyes and smiled at him. "Nothing's wrong right now. Everything's perfect."

"Please, we've barely started, it's not perfect yet."

* * *

**Closing Note: **The story was originally going to end in the next two chapters, but I decided to get bold and go further with it and take it right through the first Avengers movie. I never anticipated it getting longer as I kept writing, but I've enjoyed writing these two a lot and I find Remy and Clint to be far to precious and adorable for me to wanna stop.

But yea. Jameson. Awful asshole, right. He'll start appearing a bit more later on and I've had fun writing him.


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note: **All right. The story is coming to a part where it was originally going to end before I decided to extend it. This chapter is kind of just filler-ish again, because why not. I want some Remy/Clint fluff and minor angst.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

"Okay, your turn." Clint said as he handed her another beer. Remy rolled her eyes as she took the drink from him, then pulled the wool blanket around her tighter. They had long since finished dinner and were now sharing funny stories with each other. It was getting late, as well as colder, but both seemed content to stay out here for as long as possible. Clint had brought up some blankets at one point when he caught Remy shivering too much. "Okay, what is the funniest thing you've ever seen?"

"Oh my god. I can't tell you." She said, her eyes wide. "Because you'll let it slip and I'll be murdered by the parties involved."

"Not fair, because I just told you how I got myself tangled up in one of Nat's bras." He said with a pout. "You gotta share a story."

Remy groaned and closed her eyes, leaning into him. "Fine, but you cannot repeat this or I will be murdered." She took a sip of her beer. "So, for my 17th birthday, Phil woke me up by singing ABBA's "Dancing Queen". Badly."

"He didn't!" Clint laughed, shaking his head. "I don't believe it unless I see it for myself."

"Well, there's no evidence, so I guess you don't believe me." She retorted, sipping her beer. "The only other story I can think of is when I walked in on Brock singing 'Part of Your World' from The Little Mermaid. And that happened only a few years ago, so I have the evidence."

He laughed even harder. "Why? How?"

"No clue! I was at his apartment, right, and I needed to brush my teeth and I walked into the bathroom. And he was singing in his shower, so, you know, I pulled out my phone because it was damn hilarious." Remy explained with a grin. "I figure if I ever need to blackmail him, I have the perfect thing to do it with."

"He will kill you." Clint said, chuckling as he shook his head. "He will fucking kill you if you let that out."

"That's why the shit we're saying here does not leave this roof, Clint Barton." Remy warned, pointing a threatening finger at him. "Got it?"

"Yea, yea." He rolled his eyes and pulled his blanket closer. "I won't say a word."

"Awesome. Now I get to ask a question." She sipped her beer. "Hm. What was your first impression of me? And be honest."

"Oh god. I don't know. That was a long time ago." He whined. "I don't have your crazy memory, you know! I barely remember shit from last week!"

"Aw, come on! Was I cute, sexy, or a pain in the ass?" She tried, bumping her shoulder against him playfully. "I'm curious!"

"Ugh, I don't know... fine." He sighed. "I mean, I remember meeting you, but mostly I remember Coulson talking about you when he first picked you up. I figured there really had to be something special about you for him to be so excited about you all the damn time. Like, it bordered on annoying at times, because you'd think he had a newborn baby or something, like when he was telling me and May about you not burning the apartment down after making yourself some pasta once when you were 18." He shrugged. "I dunno, I wanted to meet you when he talked about you like that, because I was curious how someone could hold his attention like that."

"Oh, shut up, Barton, you'll make me cry again." She said, wiping her eyes.

"Pfft, like that's hard." Clint teased, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "And then I met you in the gym, and yea, I remember the bright orange sports bra you had on, but I realized you were the girl Coulson was always going on about and being proud of, so I thought you were probably a cool person." He sipped his beer. "Even if you were dating Rumlow."

Remy rolled her eyes. "Okay. Ask me a question, you dork."

"Okay. What was _your_ first impression of me?"

"I thought you had the best looking ass I'd ever seen." Was her reply. Clint snorted. "What? It's true. I saw your ass and thought, 'Damn. That's the ass that would bring about world peace'."

"Oh my god, Remy." Clint groaned, shaking his head. "Seriously?"

"Seriously." She nodded. "And I also thought that you did a good job of not overflowing with testosterone when you actually talked to me in the gym. You were very kind, and even humored me by telling me how you got the black eye. And I didn't even call you out when I caught you staring at my sports bra." Remy leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Now ask me another question."

"Fine." Clint replied as he rolled his eyes. "Favorite movie?"

"Too easy. Lady and the Tramp." She replied with a grin. "What's _your_ favorite movie?"

"God, I don't know. Jurassic Park? It's the dinosaurs, babe. They're awesome."

Remy leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "We should watch it before you leave." She murmured, feeling him tense up a bit at the suggestion.

"Should we talk about _that_ now?" He sighed.

"We probably should, since, y'know, you're leaving really, really soon." She replied with a shrug. "Because really, I don't know what to do. Are we going to keep dating? How long is this reassignment? Can I at least text you adorable pictures of cats?"

Clint whistled. "Wow, that's a lot of intense questions... I'll answer the most difficult one first." He put his arm around her, pulling her closer as he pressed a kiss to her temple, taking a moment before answering. The suspense was killing her by that point, because she just wanted to know. "Okay, you can send me pictures of Norwegian Forest cats, Main Coons, and Ragdolls." He sighed. "God help you if you send me a picture of a Tabby cat, though."

"Deal." She said, nestling herself against his side as she tried not to laugh. "Only fluffy looking cats."

"Glad we have an understanding. As for the other two not-so-important questions..." He trailed off, looking down at her. "I mean, we can make this work. We really can. I don't know how long this reassignment will last, it could be just a week, or it could be six months. But we can stay in contact and visit whenever." Clint shrugged. "I'd like to keep on dating, because it's nice to know someone else has my back if I ever need it." He kissed her forehead. "Not to mention I do like that you like to cuddle after sex."

Remy snorted, pulling the blanket closer to her face. It was getting colder, and having this conversation was making her feel worse. She wanted it to work between them, but she had never done anything like this before. She bit down on her bottom lip and sighed. "I think we can manage. I think we can make this work." She shivered. "But that will all be for naught if we stay out here and freeze to death."

"Oh my god, we're excellent at ruining these moments, aren't we?" Clint joked as he got to his feet. "Let's head inside then. Get you all warmed up before your brain freezes and you can't remember anything." He helped her up as well and wrapped the blanket around her tighter. "Wow, you are cold. Why didn't you say something?"

Remy shrugged and held the blanket tight, following him through the door and down the stairs. It wasn't quite the conversation she was expecting to have with him about the situation. Hell, she expected she would cry more. Yet she felt at peace about it, because he seemed so certain and relaxed that they could make it work that she knew she could trust him. Everything would be okay, and Remy just had to keep believing that.

* * *

It had been two days since Clint left.

Coulson was also gone.

From the little Fury told her, it turned out the two of them were going to the same location. Fury didn't say where, but Remy figured it was one of the sets of coordinates that she had to memorize weeks ago. However, she wasn't about to go searching for its location. It was on a need to know basis, and she figured it was a pretty intense job if the two of them were going.

But she was stuck in D.C. by herself. Sally had been reassigned to the New York City office and Natasha was away on a mission.

Remy didn't know what to do by herself at this point. It was like she was 15 all over again, sitting up on the couch all night, watching the various news channels and waiting for Coulson to come home. She sent the occasional text to Clint, but his responses were so few and far between that he must have been kept busy. She even tried sending a text to Coulson, but there were no responses from that front either.

It was just unsettling to be alone so suddenly. And Remy should be used to it, but in fact, she really wasn't.

It had only been a few days, but she started staying later at the office to get work done on entering the forms. Fury had sent a new agent to work with Remy, but for the most part the two ignored each other as they worked. It wasn't the same as before; even before Clint started helping her Remy had fun messing with Agent Davis, but now it was just uncomfortable and awkward, so Remy just did her work, barely acknowledging the other agent in the room. If she could stay focused and get through the work, then she would be done and Fury would stick her on a new project.

Fury had called her into his office three times already to look over some files, and it was a little frustrating to be pulled away like that when she was so close to being done. She often wondered what he would have her do after this project. Probably go back administration stuff, where she would enter in the mission reports from agents, or sit in on meetings to help keep the minutes. It had been a while since she did that, but Remy could easily get back into the swing of things.

At this moment, however, she was still entering in those damn forms. It was getting late, nearing 8 PM. She should have left the office hours ago, but she couldn't stand to go back to the empty apartment. Yawning, Remy blinked wearily at the computer screen. She just needed to do three more forms, then she could go home.

But if she got herself some coffee, then she could stay longer and be done with that damn box, so that tomorrow she could start fresh on a new one. That would be the best plan, really. She didn't need to go home when she could just stay at the office and work. And if she got tired enough, she could nap under her desk.

That all made perfect sense to her.

Maybe she should take a nap first, then make coffee. If she tried to make coffee while she was half asleep, it could be disastrous for anyone involved.

Remy nodded to herself sleepily. Nap first, coffee second. She sighed and rubbed her face, wondering if it'd be weird to ask Fury for a couch for the office. Nah, she'd ask that later. Yawning loudly, she pushed her chair away from her desk and laid down on the carpet, using her purse as a pillow and covering herself with her jacket.

It was uncomfortable and probably stupid, but eventually Remy fell asleep.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: **Okay so this was originally the last chapter. And that is no longer the case so I apologize if this is wonky in places.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

"Agent Black?"

Jasper Sitwell stood beside her desk, looking down at the sleeping agent. This was not the scene he was expecting to walk in on. She was curled up halfway under her desk, clutching her jacket over her while she slept restlessly. He was almost feeling bad about waking her, but this was urgent.

"Agent Black!" His voice was more urgent this time. The sleeping agent began to stir, mumbling incoherently as she rolled onto her back. Slowly, her eyes opened and she frowned as her eyes focused on the man standing near her.

"Agent Sitwell?" She grumbled. "What are you doing in my bedroom?"

He looked slightly amused by her sleepiness. "There's been attacks at elementary schools in the Salems around the country. I've been instructed to escort you for an interrogation." He told her. "And you're in your office. I was told to check here first before going to your apartment."

Remy blinked slowly as she looked at her surroundings. Sure enough, she was asleep on the floor of her office. She vaguely remembered laying down last night, and having some internal conversation with herself about coffee. She yawned and started to get to her feet, looking up at Sitwell. "What time is it?"

"It's 4:45 in the morning. We need to see about the bombings, okay?"

She nodded and tried to smooth out her wrinkled clothes. "I have a change of clothes here. Do I have time to change real quick?" Remy didn't really wait for an answer as she opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a t-shirt and jeans. Thankfully she was in a skirt, which made it easier to just pull the pants up before removing said skirt. She looked at him sleepily as she unbuttoned her blouse next, shrugging it off and pulling on a t-shirt.

Sitwell looked a little uncomfortable, but said nothing.

"Are you ready?" He asked as she pulled a hoodie on and grabbed her purse. "We really need to get going. No students were injured thankfully, but several security guards and cleaning crews were killed in the blasts."

Remy mumbled at him in response and followed him to the door. They headed out of the office and to the elevator. "Where are we going then?" Remy asked as they stepped onto the elevator, hitting the button to take them to the helipad. "And what interrogation?" She was starting to recall what he had said while she was half asleep, and her stomach churned as she considered who she had to speak too.

"We have to go to New York City for the interrogation and straight to the prison. There's no time to wait for him at the base." Was Sitwell's response as the elevator took them to their floor. Remy felt her stomach drop as they stepped out onto the helipad. She wanted to throw up right then, but she wasn't sure if it was because of the awaiting helicopter, or the fact that she would have to face Robert Paterson again.

She fell silent as they stepped onto the helicopter, taking a seat across from Sitwell. Remy was hoping she could hold it together, but as the doors shut and the helicopter started to rise up, she wanted to throw herself out of the door. Her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket, startling her. She needed the distraction so she pulled out her phone, a smile spreading across her face as she saw it was Clint.

It was a string of pictures of fluffy cats with obnoxious white text all over the images. She covered her mouth, trying to muffle the giggles that were escaping. It wasn't so much that there were pictures of cats on her phone, but it was more the relief that Clint had texted her at the exact moment she needed him too.

Remy let out a sigh, sinking back in her seat before pocketing her phone. Sitwell had been watching her the entire time, an eyebrow raised.

"Something amusing, Agent Black?" He asked, trying to sound authoritative. Remy looked at him and grinned.

"Not at all. I'm just focusing on the objective of this mission." She told him. "You know, the emotional torment of being in the room with that man and everything. I'm _so_ relaxed and at ease about it."

Sitwell rolled his eyes. "There was no other option, besides, he asked specifically for you. Robert Paterson promised to give more information this time if he could speak to you alone, so we're going to give into his wishes."

"I thought SHIELD didn't negotiate with terrorists." Remy snapped. "Why not let Romanoff or someone torture him into talking? She's good at it, she'd get him going."

"Agent Black, you're going to do your job and talk to him, do you understand? We need his information or else the next attacks may result in _more_ deaths." He told her. "Now, you don't want the blood of children on your hands, do you? I mean, you're not _that_ kind of agent anyways."

Remy looked at him, rather shocked by that statement. She didn't work with Sitwell often, making it a point to avoid him since he had the habit of staring at her chest. But she never thought he'd speak to her like that. He watched her carefully, awaiting a response from her. When she didn't respond, he smiled. "So you're going to do it without a fight then, right?"

"Yes sir." She mumbled, turning her attention back to her phone, her fingers flying over the keys as she sent some texts to Clint. She wasn't telling him about what was going on, because she didn't want to have him call. Something about being in the helicopter with Sitwell was making her uneasy, but she didn't want to draw attention to it.

* * *

Remy took a seat at the table in the middle of the room, impatiently awaiting for Robert Paterson to present himself. Sitwell was opting to observe the ordeal on the other side of the glass. She didn't know why, but at that point, she didn't care. She wanted to just get this over with and get out of the prison. She had to leave her phone and bag with the front desk for some security purpose, which she wanted to fight them on it, since she was a damn agent of SHIELD, not just any old visitor. But they wouldn't allow it, and the look Sitwell gave her had her giving up and following their security escort to the interrogation room. He handed over his things as well, but the look on his face told her that he wasn't amused by it either.

She fidgeted in her seat, looking up at the camera that was focused on her. It was likely fixed on her in case she decided to punch Robert in the face for whatever reason. No, she would do SHIELD proud and not assault him on camera.

The door behind her opened, startling her. This was it. She was about to face the monster at the end of her book. Remy straightened up and placed both of her hands on the table as she waited. It felt like an eternity before Robert was sitting down across from her, a smile on his face. The guard that escorted him stepped back out, leaving the two alone. It was a little uncomfortable, but he was handcuffed, and while Remy knew he had been a boxer in his college days, that was ages ago, and now he was just old and out of shape. He was no physical threat to her.

She cleared her throat and straightened up in her seat, resting her hands on the table. "So, tell me about the attacks and where the next ones will happen." Remy ordered, staring at him from across the table. "SHIELD knows you're communicating with someone on the outside. What have they told you? How much do you know?"

Robert smiled, resting his arms on the table as he looked across at his daughter. "Can we catch up first? I want to know any big news in your life." He said. The smile made Remy feel sick. "How was high school? Did you cheat your way through with your memory? What about college, were you smart enough to get in?"

Remy glared at him and clenched her teeth. It was getting more and more difficult not to just punch him and walk out, but she had to do her job. "I graduated. That's all you need to know."

"But you went to college, didn't you?" He pried. "Were you smart enough to get in, or did you rely on cheating?"

"Again. I graduated." Remy replied, gritting her teeth. "That's all you need to know. Now, tell me about the next attack."

"Oh, those attacks. They're not _that_ big of a deal." Robert said, waving his hand dismissively. "The Chimera Order doesn't want to hurt children. They're merely innocent in all of this, you know? But we want to talk to them while they're young and impressionable, to make sure they understand order and rules." He fixed Remy with a hard look. "You were always so difficult when it came to that. Why?"

"Probably because I knew you were as evil as they come, Paterson." She retorted, looking through the file. "Tell me about Henry Jameson. Is he your little canary in all of this? Because really, he fits the type."

"Henry is a good boy." Robert replied, narrowing his eyes. "He understands how to listen and follow orders, unlike you. Why couldn't I have raised him instead of you?"

Remy rolled her eyes. "Considering you didn't raise me but left me in the clutches of maids and boarding schools, you would have just done the same to him." She paused and looked at him. "Wait, hold the phone. What do you mean 'raised him instead of you'? Are... did... oh my god, did you knock up one of the maids?" She shook her head. "Oh my god, it was Clara, wasn't it? She was young and my favorite, and all of a sudden she wasn't there anymore. You knocked her up and then sent her away. And Jameson was the result, wasn't he?"

"Look at you, being all clever." He was now smiling at her. "You've been very mean to your little brother, Rosemary darling." She glared at him. "You need to learn how to get along with others."

"Good Lord, listen to you. You're insane." She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in frustration. "I can't even believe that I'm here wasting my time on you because you're not telling me anything new! You got me thinking this is a trap!" She paused and looked at him. "Aw, shit, is this a trap?"

Robert only smiled at her as the door to the room opened. Remy whipped around and let out a groan of frustration. Henry Jameson stepped in with a gun in his hand, pointing it at her. Well, shit. She had to think fast now, otherwise she was toast.

"You are right, it was a trap." Jameson said as he closed the door behind him, keeping the gun pointed at her. "You really aren't as smart as you think you are, sister dear. How did you ever make it into being a SHIELD agent? Granted, you aren't much of one. I've never seen one as fat as you." She rolled her eyes. Again with the fat comments.

"Obviously SHIELD isn't that difficult since they let an idiot like you in." Remy shot back. "You're all talk, you know, until someone calls you out on it and then you clam up. I saw the video of you and Rumlow in the ring. It was pretty hilarious." She needed to distract him, to get him riled up. But then it hit her. "Wait, why are you here? SHIELD is after you..." She looked at the door. "Did you do something to Sitwell?"

"He wasn't that hard to knock out." Jameson shrugged as he took a seat beside Robert. "Really, he was so focused on watching you that I came up from behind him and hit him with the gun. I didn't want to kill him. I always liked Sitwell."

Remy nodded, biting the tip of her tongue as scenarios ran through her mind. What would be the best way to get out of here while also grabbing Sitwell? She tried to think to any training she had, but her mind was working in overtime to try to keep these two idiots distracted. "What about the guards?"

"They're dealing with an emergency." Jameson smiled. "Riots happening among the prisoners. They won't be able to protect you." He pointed the gun at her still, his finger on the trigger, but Robert shook his head.

"No, we can't kill her. We need the information she has." Robert said; Jameson actually looked disappointed that he didn't get to shoot her. "Those weapons you've been telling me about, son, she has the information on them, correct? Those energy powered ones?"

"It's true, father. She knows about them."

Remy rolled her eyes. "Oh my god, stop with the weird Junior/Senior bad guy dialogue. You both are absolutely ridiculous, do you even realize that?" She exclaimed, looking between the two. "You think just because you point a gun at me that you'll get what you want? Bull. I may not like what I know about SHIELD, but I do hate you two a lot, and there's no way in hell I'd help you out. So go ahead, kill me, because the stuff dies with me." She checked her watch and stood up from the table. "Aw, I gotta make a phone call. The boyfriend is expecting me to call him and can't keep him waiting, you know?"

"You're not going anywhere!" Jameson shrieked, pointing the gun at her head. She rolled her eyes.

"Seriously? The head? _Where the information is stored_?" She shook her head. "You're such an idiot. If you want to get me to talk by threatening me with a gun, then shoot me in some place that won't kill me right away. But I am serious about that phone call. If I don't pick up, he'll get worried and come after me. I told him where I was, after all." She sighed. "And if SHIELD finds out Jameson is here, then his ass is gonna get locked up too. I know you didn't think this through, _little brother_, because you aren't as clever as you'd like to be."

Jameson glanced at Robert, his hand still on the gun as he fidgeted. Remy watched this as a plan came to mind. All she needed was a distraction, and there was only one real thing that she could think of doing, and it was incredibly stupid, but if she could just distract Jameson enough to get her away, then she would be fine. If she kept talking nonsense, keeping the focus on her words and not actions...

She took the chance. Remy kept at it, her rantings now moving on to talking about the drive to the prison. She was launching into a tirade about how terrible Sitwell had parked the car when she grabbed the chair and hurled it at Jameson. It struck him, startling him as Remy turned and ran for the door. She made it to the door, hand on the doorknob and turning it when she heard the sound of a gun firing.

* * *

**Closing Note**: So yes. Sitwell is a wee bit of an asshole to Remy. And I have decided that while Jameson may have come off as being a badass, he really is just an idiot wanting daddy's approval, whereas Remy is more like, "aw hell no" about it. I realized how Remy has evolved over a few months, but it doesn't really last.


	25. Chapter 25

**Author's Note: **Yeaaaa I left that last one on a cliff hanger. Here's the continuation. I'm writing chapter 35 now, and so this story will reach the events of the first Avengers film soon. I'm having a little trouble writing it, but at the same time I'm enjoying it because I'm realizing I can do what I want with it. Aw yessss.

This chapter is also kind of long so I apologize.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

When she saw that Sitwell was alive and getting to his feet, Remy was relieved, but there was no time to really talk to him. Before he could ask what was going on, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along. It was difficult to hear inside the facility, between men shouting and an alarm going off, but Sitwell followed along with her, not saying anything. She hazard a look behind her and swore loudly. Jameson was following after them, hastily firing his gun. She gave Sitwell a shove through a doorway.

"Don't you have your gun?!" She exclaimed as they ran.

"They took everything at the front, remember?!" He shot back. Groaning, Remy led them through another door. She mentally thanked her memory for knowing the way they came into this place, because they went through far to many doors and took to many turns for anyone to really know where they were going without a guide. And as Remy pulled Sitwell through another door, she paused long enough to look behind them. Jameson was right after them, his gun put away. Well, apparently he knew not to waste his bullets when they weren't in sight.

"Agent Black, let's get going!"

"Hang on!" Remy replied, watching Jameson as he got closer. She knew that the next door they went through would lead them past the area where most of the prisoners hung out in when they weren't in their cells. If what Jameson had said was true, about there being a riot, then that area had to be where it was.

Jameson was closer to them now, and Sitwell was about to say something else before Remy grabbed his arm again and pulled him along. Seconds later, Jameson pulled the door open, gun aimed now at Remy before she pulled Jasper through the last door. The sound of men yelling and fighting was heard, and she had a plan. It was probably a terrible and stupid plan, but she wanted out of this place now.

"Blood!" Sitwell exclaimed as Remy waited again for Jameson to approach them.

"You're bleeding? Where?!" She replied, turning to look at him.

He shook his head and pointed at her side. Remy looked down at herself and swore. She was bleeding. Apparently that first shot of Jameson's hit her, but she didn't realize it until now. That's when the pain hit her and she swayed a bit where she stood. Now it was catching up to her.

"Shit, uh, let's keep moving. Now." Remy touched her hand to the wound and hissed. It didn't seem too serious, but it hurt and there _was_ blood. And her purse was locked up at the front desk.

"Then let's get moving, all right?" Sitwell took her by the arm this time and pulled her along. She jerked out of his grasp and looked back at the door.

"Wait, I have a plan and it might be stupid, but wait!" She ordered, her attention on the door. Sitwell was about to protest when the door opened up and Jameson stepped through. He saw them and aimed the gun, squeezing the trigger. Remy shoved Sitwell aside, the bullet striking her arm. "Fuck, FUCK! Go! Down the stairs!"

The gunshot was heard below as well and the men became louder. Sitwell started down the stairs, glancing back at Remy. She was clutching her arm as she backed away from Jameson.

"You really are a fuckin' idiot, you know that?" She snapped, her voice wavering from the pain. Shit, she didn't think getting shot would hurt this much. "How in the hell did you ever become a SHIELD agent? I mean, I suck at firing guns, but at least I have common sense!"

"Shut UP!" He screamed, pointing the gun at her. Remy turned and rushed down the stairs, yelling at Sitwell to move. The riot was still going on: prisoners and guards fighting each other. It was messy, but Remy knew this would be the best way. She grabbed Sitwell's sleeve and tugged him along, dodging the fists and bodies as best as she could. Jameson was right behind her, trying his best to aim his gun as prisoners slammed against him, blocking him.

They were getting closer to the door. Remy knew that as soon as they went through there that they would be on the home stretch. The entrance was just another two doors away from that. Sitwell now took the lead, knocking men aside as he pulled Remy along. It took her a moment to realize what was going on because between the body heat, blood loss, and adrenaline from it all, she was starting to feel woozy.

She could still hear men yelling and the occasional gunshot, but it was sounding farther and farther away. Remy closed her eyes for a moment, taking several deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again she could feel herself being pushed down.

"Sit, Agent Black, sit down." Sitwell was telling her, but she shook her head.

"No." She mumbled. "Gotta talk to Fury."

"You need medical attention." Sitwell explained; Remy shook her head again.

"No, _need_ to talk to Fury. Now. Important." She replied, putting her hand against her arm. It was wet, and when she looked at her hand, it was covered in blood. "Shit. Purse, where's my purse?" Sitwell sighed and handed it to her. Blindly she felt around in it before retrieving something. Before here could ask, she ripped open the package and stuck it on her arm. "Let's go. Now. We can't stay here."

"Agent Black-"

"No, because the Chimera Order could be here if Jameson is here." She snapped, glaring at him. She could feel her heart beating faster and her arm _hurt_. "Let's go. Get me to the car and I'll call Fury."

At this point, there was no point in fighting with her. It just wouldn't work. Reluctantly, Sitwell helped her up and out to the car. They met with no guards as they left, as they were all dealing with the riot inside. The car was still parked outside and Sitwell unlocked it, helping Remy into the car before he got in himself. He started up the car and started along, glancing over at her as she pulled out her phone, fumbling with the buttons.

"You need to go to the hospital." Sitwell insisted as he drove.

"Nu uh. Fury first." She mumbled, keeping her hand firmly on her arm. "There's a SHIELD place here, isn't there? Not to far?"

Sitwell sighed. "It's about 45 minutes away. The hospital is only 10."

Remy shrugged and hit the speaker option on her phone as it rang Fury. "I'll survive."

He resisted making a comment when he heard Fury pick up. "What is it, Agent Black?"

"Sir, it was a trap." She gasped, clutching her arm. "Chimera Order is fucking insane. Jameson was there."

"Where's Sitwell?"

"Right here, sir. Agent Black's been shot twice and refusing medical treatment. We're on our way to the New York office." Sitwell replied, cutting Remy off. "Once she gets patched up and cleared, we'll head back to the Triskelion."

"As soon as you get here, she needs to come see me, understand?" Fury growled. "Do not speak to anyone about what happened there, Agent Black. Not until we know what's going on."

"Yes sir." Both replied and Remy hit the 'end call' button before leaning back in her chair. She carefully removed the thing she she had been using for a makeshift bandage. Sitwell looked at her and winced.

"Is that a-"

"Shut up, Sitwell." She grumbled as she grabbed a new one. "It's a maxi pad, yes. It's purpose is to keep me from bleeding anywhere for a few days each month, and right now, it doesn't matter where the blood is coming from so long as it absorbs it."

Sitwell grumbled something as he merged lanes. "Just don't get blood on the upholstery."

She didn't respond, knowing full well that there would be a lovely dark stain against the seat where her arm was leaning against. Oh well.

* * *

The wound on Remy's side wasn't bad at all – it was just a painful graze. The arm was a little more concerning because of how much blood had been lost. The doctor scolded her as the nurses patched her up and gave her fluids. She just took it all in stride, not fighting back. Sitwell stayed out of the room the entire time, and Remy figured it was because the doctor helping her had taken off her shirt and bra to tend to the wounds and get her bandaged up, and that he didn't want Remy threatening him if he looked on accident.

It was almost seven by the time Sitwell and Remy arrived back at the Triskelion. The last 13 hours sucked, and while she really needed a shower to get the blood and sweat off of her, she also really needed to talk to Fury. The shower could wait. Fury first.

Sitwell escorted her up to his office, and while she appreciated the gesture, she wanted him gone. Remy needed a few minutes by herself after what had happened at the prison. The man had stuck by her side the entire time, and a small part of her wondered if Coulson got a hold of him and told him to do that. Remy knew her limitations when it came to anything outside of the office, but having a shadow like Sitwell was getting on her nerves.

When she stepped out onto the floor she turned to face him. "Thanks. I got it from here, Agent Sitwell." She said before walking off without him. Fury's door wasn't to far down, and she glanced back to make sure she wasn't being followed. She really needed a few minutes by herself. Sighing, she pulled her phone from her pocket and checked for any messages. There was a text from Clint – a picture, actually. '_Probably more cats._' She thought as she opened it.

Oh, it was so not cats. And Remy inhaled sharply as she stared at the picture. Yes, a picture of his bare chest and hips after a shower was the exact thing she needed at that moment. The message under the photo simply read, _Miss you._

"Yea, I bet you do." She mumbled as she replied with, _Damn right you do._ After that, she put her phone on vibrate and knocked on Fury's door.

It opened, actually, and he was standing right there, glaring down at her as he made sure she didn't lose any limbs. He turned around and walked to his desk, Remy following after him like a duckling. She immediately took the seat across from his desk, letting out a sigh.

"I got shot. Twice."

"And you're alive." Fury replied as he took a seat. "But I don't need to hear the details about that. You said Jameson was there. What happened?"

"He shot me." She said, rolling her eyes. "But no, apparently he's my little half brother or something." Fury raised an eyebrow. "Yea, can you believe that? Robert Paterson decided to knock up a maid. And the Chimera Order wants attention, it seems. They attacked schools last night, but they don't want to hurt children, insisting they are the easiest to get into the movement." She felt her phone buzz in her pocket, but she ignored it. "Jameson seems to have been the songbird singing for Paterson."

Fury nodded as he listened to her talk. "And then you were shot."

"And then I was shot." She replied with a sigh. "I guess he knocked Sitwell out before coming into the room. And then I decided to start trying to aggravate Jameson, you know, distracting him. He's an idiot, he really is. How the hell did he become an agent anyway? I threw a chair at him and then he shot me. There was a riot going on inside the prison and I had the genius idea of dragging myself and Sitwell through that mess. I guess it was to try and make it harder for Jameson to come after us." Remy frowned. "I then only remember having Sitwell telling me to sit down and that I needed to go to the hospital."

"Which you refused, of course."

"Of course." She repeated, nodding. "I'm fine, though. Sore and exhausted, and I smell. Not to mention they took my bra off for the procedure for whatever reason, and my tits are huge. It's difficult to be unsupported."

Fury raised an eyebrow. "I'm guessing they gave you pain killers. And that those pain killers just kicked in."

Remy blinked. "Yea. Good stuff, too. Why?"

"Normally you don't get this open about your personal hygiene." He retorted. Remy pretended to be offended and opened her mouth to comment, but he held up a finger to silence her. "I'm going to suggest you have someone escort you home, Agent Black. Just to be safe."

"Well, gee. I don't know if I can trust anyone enough to do that, sir." She replied dryly. Fury looked unamused and she sighed. "Fine, I'll ask Rumlow. He'll be happy to do it if I promise him some beer."

* * *

**Closing Note: **I'll be honest. I don't know shit about guns. And considering I've enjoyed making Jameson out to being a complete idiot, I'm going to say no one trusted him enough with a scary gun. So probably what hit Remy was a pitiful handgun that wouldn't do to much damage. I don't know how to go about writing those scenes so that is why this chapter is the way it is.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note: **Another double update! Okay. This chapter gets a bit steamy at a point, just a warning. And chapter 27 is basically going to be the same. But I was wanting to put some sex in this story between the two and I figured why the hell not? So this chapter does get a bit M rated toward the end of it.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

Now with Remy's injured arm, the work took an extra two weeks, but they were finally done electronically archiving all those old damn files. She was ecstatic, but she kept it all inside as she sent a photo of the last form being entered into the computer and sent it to Clint, adding the message, _Thank fucking God it's the last one._

Once the files were done and packed back into their boxes, she sent an email to Fury to tell him the news. Her office mate looked over at her. "Now what, Agent Black?"

"We bask in the glory of our work being done, Agent Banks." Remy replied with a content sigh. Her phone buzzed and she grinned. Clint had actually replied fast, which she was pleased with, saying that he wished he could celebrate with her by burning all the boxes. Oh, she wished he was here too, but she knew it wouldn't happen.

"What's so funny, Agent Black?" Banks asked, watching her curiously. Banks was adorable, Remy decided. She was young and fresh faced, having only just finished her initial training only a few weeks prior. With Clint gone, Banks had taken over his job, and it was only this morning that she confided to Remy that she was terrified of her, which was why they didn't talk to each other when Banks first started working with her a few weeks ago.

Remy found that hilarious, but didn't say anything. Let the newbies fear her.

"Nothing, Banks." Remy grinned as she set her phone on the desk. "It's just nice to be done after like, five months of this stuff. You know that you're the third person they've paired me with since I started this project? It's insane. I feel you deserve a trophy or pen inscribed with this date on it for sticking with me."

Banks nodded. "How come I'm the third one?"

"Well, I was working with Agent Davis from accounting, and they swapped her out to bring me Agent Barton because he went and broke himself." Remy explained, glancing at her phone as it buzzed again. "So they stuck me with him up until they reassigned him to something else." She checked it and bit back a moan. Why must he send half naked photos at the most awkward times?

"I've heard about Agent Barton. What's he like?" Banks asked with a grin. "I've um, I've heard he's quite attractive."

"Mmm. Well, I dunno about that." Remy said, her eyes studying the picture on her phone. "I guess he's okay. His arms are a little to muscular and his vision is way to good to be normal." She pocketed her phone with a grin.

"Do you know him well?" The younger agent asked, her cheeks reddening. "Does he have a girlfriend?"

Remy's attention snapped toward her. "What?"

"Oh, um, I was wondering if he had a girlfriend." Banks repeated, the blush still there. Remy watched her carefully as she leaned back in her chair, wondering what was the best way to answer this.

"Well, he does, yes." She replied, picking her words carefully. "But hon, wait a while before you start getting crushes here. It can make it awkward if you start dating someone right away." Remy looked at her phone. "It can get awkward _really_ fast."

"Oh, um... okay." Banks looked a little put out by the advice, but Remy didn't really care. Mostly she wanted to get the conversation away from Clint, so she decided to change the topic.

"So, uh, do you like soccer?"

* * *

It was quitting time now. Remy was relieved because that meant a few days off before starting at administration. She had received an email with the information on her new job, and it wasn't that exciting, but it was different than what had been going on for the last few months, which was fine by her. She was glad to be back among the rest of the agents and not secluded away from them like she had been. And while she would miss the nice big office, she was glad just to socialize again.

She stopped for Thai food on her way home, internally debating on what movie to watch. It wasn't so much she wanted a movie to watch but she wanted the background noise. It made the apartment seem less empty since Coulson was still away. She couldn't remember the last time he had been gone for this long, if ever, but she was slowly getting used to it.

After juggling the Thai food and her keys, she got into the apartment, turning on all of the lights with her elbow. It was quiet as usual, but something didn't seem right. Frowning, Remy stayed by the door, looking around. The lights had been off until she came in, the TV was off, the windows were closed, and everything seemed normal.

Except for the half empty glass of water on the counter that had a few roses in it. She continued to frown, looking around the room. The floor plan was open for the most part, save for the two bedrooms and bathroom (Remy had been blessed in getting the master bathroom and never had to share with Coulson or guests). No one should be in here but she felt incredibly nervous now. After setting the food on the counter, Remy grabbed the biggest knife in the butcher's block. It's possible that she was just being overly paranoid and that there was no one in there, but who the hell would have left roses? Clint was still away, and she never gave him a key to the place. But then again, he could pick the lock, but why would he?

There was movement coming from her bedroom. Aw, shit, someone was in here. Quietly, Remy approached the door. For whatever reason the door was closed. She left the door open this morning when she left. Swallowing heavily and quickly having second thoughts, Remy gave the door a kick and rushed in, knife at the ready as she gave a yell.

And she was immediately disarmed and thrown onto the bed. She could hear the knife clattering against the floor as a hand pushed on her chest to keep her from getting back up.

"Remy, _Remy! _Relax!"

She stopped moving and stared wide eyed at the intruder. "Are you fucking kidding me, Clint?!" She yelled as she knocked his hand away. "I could have killed you!" He gave her a knowing look and she huffed. "I could have injured you somehow!"

"Well, you didn't." He replied, pulling her onto her feet before he hugged her, being careful of her arm. "And I'm glad because I do have to go back in a few days." She grumbled in annoyance, pressing her face against his chest as she closed her eyes.

"The hell you doin' here?" She asked, voice muffled against his t-shirt.

"Somehow I had a few days off." He replied with a shrug. "And these days off somehow lined up with your days off because you finished those damn papers finally. Not to mention I wanted to make sure you weren't getting shot at anymore."

Remy looked up at him as she attempted to try and pull his shirt off, choosing to ignore the 'getting shot' comment. It was a little difficult to do with her injured arm, as it hurt to move it to much. After a few attempts, she gave up and sat back on the bed, looking around it. That's when she noticed what was going on. "You lit candles and put rose petals on my bed."

"And I was about to start a bath for you..." He told her, suddenly realizing his surprise was ruined. "Aw, I guess I won't get to sweep you off your feet and make you cry."

She looked back at him, grinning. "You dork. I'm still surprised, even though I thought it was a murderer in here." She said, standing back up and wrapping her arms back around him. "And I'll agree to a bath if you're in the tub with me, because I want to cuddle you and just stay naked for the next few days, okay? Not to mention those photos you've sent me have been an incredible tease for me, so I gotta stare at your body for a little while."

"You only care about my body." Clint sighed, pretending to be offended. "I should have known."

Remy looked at him innocently as she pulled away from him and headed to her bathroom, shedding her clothes on her way. Clint grinned and followed after her, doing the same before he flipped the bathroom lights on. There were more candles in there, unlit, and a few bottles of her favorite beer resting on the counter. He started the water, making sure it was hot before he allowed the tub to fill. Straightening up, he stepped into the tub first, leaning back and propping his feet up on the edge of the tub before looking up at her, grinning. Remy rolled her eyes and climbed in after him, sitting between his legs and leaning back against his chest. It was a tight fit, and a little uncomfortable, but they could make it work. Once the tub was filled enough, she leaned forward and shut the water off.

"We might get stuck in here." Remy told him as she leaned back against him, resting her head against his shoulder. Clint shrugged, wrapping his arms around her waist as he kissed her cheek. "We might have to resort to cannibalism."

"If it comes to that, you have permission to eat me." Clint murmured in her ear, tightening his arms around her as he held her close. She laughed, reaching back to run her fingers through his hair, turning her head to give him a kiss. He pouted at the laughter, kissing her back. "Are you laughing at my willingness to sacrifice myself to you?"

"No, I'm just laughing at the idea of actually getting stuck in here." She giggled, trying her best not to have a full blown laugh attack. "Like... oh man, could you imagine?"

Clint shook his head and grinned, leaning back in the tub as Remy awkwardly rolled over in the tub, keeping her bandage out of the water as she faced him. She kissed him again, resting her injured arm on the edge of the tub while her other arm helped to balance her. Clint nipped her bottom lip as he brought his hand up to brush her hair out of her face, the other hand moving to her shoulder to help balance her. The last thing he needed was her losing her balance and breaking something on her or him.

After a few minutes she broke the kiss and moved back around, leaning back against him. "Y'know, I could get used to this. Coming home from the office and having a bath ready for me, maybe having a naked boyfriend around so I got some eye candy while I relax."

He laughed at that, shaking his head in disbelief. "You say the weirdest shit at times, babe."

"Yea, and that is why you keep me around." She retorted with a smirk as she stretched her arms out. "I got nice tits and say the best things." She tilted her head back to try and look at him. "Not to mention you like my soft tongue."

"Mm, are you gonna use that soft tongue on me while I'm here?" He asked, lowering his left arm into the water to wrap around her waist, his hand resting on her stomach. His right arm stayed outside of the tub, reaching up to run his fingers through her hair slowly. She closed her eyes and sighed in content, relaxing against him. Clint dropped a kiss to her neck as his left hand moved down her stomach and between her legs, earning him a gasp from Remy. "You didn't answer my question."

"Uhhh... um, repeat it?" She asked, squirming around in the tub as she tried to find away to get comfortable now. They did this once before in her bathtub early on when they first hooked up, and it ended up with Remy's thigh cramping up and Clint nearly breaking a few fingers. After that, they agreed that sex in the bathtub was probably not a good idea.

He chuckled, his movements slow, bordering on torture as Remy tried to get more friction. If he was going to keep teasing her, she was going to leave the tub to take care of herself then. "I asked if you were going to use that soft tongue on me while I'm here." He murmured into her ear before pressing a kiss to her cheek as his fingers increased their speed and pressure. She whined in response, squirming around in the tub. The water splashed around, spilling out onto the bathroom floor.

"W-Wait, stop." She grabbed his wrist, halting his movements. "If my muscles cramp up in here you're gonna have to carry me, and I really don't want you to have to carry me after you nearly dropped me that one time."

"That was an accident!" He insisted, trying to free his wrist from her clutches. "If you weren't trying to grab my dick it wouldn't have happened, you know."

"I was looking for something to hold onto in case you dropped me!" She replied, pouting at him before standing up and stepping out of the tub. "And now you got me goin'. Out of the tub and get to the bed."

"Ooh, I like it when you boss me around." He teased, unplugging the tub and getting up. She handed him a towel before grabbing her own. He dried off quickly before tossing it aside, grabbing her by her uninjured arm and pulling her along to her bed. She laughed and went along with him, pushing him down onto the bed before she climbed after him, straddling his waist.

"Well, I'm glad you like it. I may have to keep it up." Remy grinned, looking down at him. Rolling his eyes he sat up quickly, hands on her hips before he flipped her onto her back. She yelped, both in surprise and in pain, at the sudden position change. He winced and kissed the bandage on her arm.

"Sorry." He murmured, trailing the kisses up her arm and shoulder, moving to the nape of her neck. She just shrugged, wriggling around underneath him until she was comfortable before stretching her arms out above her. One hand stayed on her hip while the other moved to touch her cheek softly before brushing her hair out of her eyes. She shivered, biting down on her lip as she closed her eyes. "Hey, open your eyes, babe. Look at me, please?"

She opened her eyes again and looked at him. He grinned and gave her a kiss, pressing his body against hers as he pulled her legs around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him to her as she kissed him back, moaning loudly.

"You know we're gonna do this for the next few days, right?" She mumbled against his lips, rocking her hips against his. "Basically just be naked?"

He nodded, nipping at her lip gently before letting out a low groan. "I didn't bring a change of clothes, so I'm good with that."

She grinned at that answer.

* * *

**Closing Note**: So not super duper sexy times, but that's what the next chapter is for.


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's Note: **Ho, hey, there be sex in this chapter. But I enjoyed writing the banter for it because this is Remy and Clint. They can never really stop the banter. This is the first time I've written a sex scene and published it, but it's not really all that graphic compared to some, I suppose. So. Uh. Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

Clint stretched out in the middle of her bed. Remy was on her stomach next to him, propping a pillow under chin as she watched him. They had just finished dinner, having had to reheat the Thai food she brought since she had forgotten about it, and now they were laying back in her bed, relaxing. Clint had complained throughout dinner about the uncomfortable dorm room he had been staying in, about how the bed was incredibly uncomfortable and that he preferred her mattress over it. She had just rolled her eyes as he continued on about the terrible food he ate there, but she didn't mind. She was really happy just to be eating dinner with him and listening to him talk.

And now that they were relaxing in bed, letting their food digest as Clint looked over at her, reaching out and gently touching the bandage on her arm. "So, finally got some battle scars, huh?"

"Yep. I'm just as bad ass as the rest of you." She retorted, scrunching up her face. "You know, you see people getting shot in movies and it's like, oh yea, it hurts, but they basically walk it off." She looked her arm. "This? I couldn't walk this off. It hurt! And still hurts!"

He leaned over and kissed the bandage. "There. Feel better?"

She grinned. "Yes, thanks. No more soreness."

"Good." Clint laid back again, looking her over. "So, I actually didn't hear the story until I was getting ready to come here, and I feel I've been a good boyfriend in _not_ freaking out about it all through the sex and dinner, but now we're comfortable and I've been informed by Coulson to also yell at you, and so here it is." He took a deep breath. "What the _hell_ were you thinking, going up against Jameson?!"

Remy rolled her eyes. "I didn't _go 'up against Jameson'_ as you put it. More like it was a trap that I was led into and you know, I can't kill a man with a paperclip like Natasha, so I had to do the next best thing. Filibuster like fuck and throw a chair at them. I didn't think he could actually fire a gun _and_ hit me!" She touched her side gently. It had healed faster than the arm, but it was still a little tender. "I think he fired the gun more out of surprise, you know, and that it was a lucky hit."

Clint clapped his hand to his forehead, groaning. "Oh my god, Remy..."

"What? I'm fine. It was luck." She insisted, inching over to him to rest her chin against his shoulder. "I won't let myself get into a situation like that again, okay? I promise."

"Damn right you won't." He retorted, glaring at her. It was a little difficult to be annoyed at her when she was giving him a really cute look right then. Her eyes were wide and she was blinking innocently at him. "You're going to learn self defense, okay? This Chimera Order shit is getting weird and I really need you to take it seriously, babe." He flicked her nose gently, causing her to scrunch it up in annoyance. "And stop looking cute when I'm trying to be angry at you."

"I'm always cute, babe. It cannot be helped." She sighed as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "But fine, okay, self defense. I'll see if I can get someone to help me and not completely kill me or something."

"Good." He grumbled as he looked back up at the ceiling. "I'd hate for SHIELD to bury you in a matchbox because you got blown up by a bomb disguised as a coffee."

She stuck her tongue out at him and pinched his arm. "I'll ask Brock to recommend someone and actually learn self defense this time, okay? Next time I see you, I'll know how to kill a man with just my eyes. How about that?"

"So long as you don't accidentally use your new skills on me, I'm fine with it." He shrugged, looking back at her.

She grinned. "I dunno, I'm gonna have to have someone to practice on... unless they let me try it on new recruits." She kissed the tip of his nose. "Oh, and there's some new agent who like, already has a crush on you. I think I broke her heart when I said you had a girlfriend."

"Oh? Is this agent cute?" He asked teasingly, wrapping an arm around Remy and pulling her closer. She rolled her eyes. "What? I'm curious."

"Yea, she's adorable, actually." Remy replied, making a face. "But I told her your arms were too big and vision was too good, so I wasn't sure if you were _that_ cute. I thought about making a comment about your butt, except that she _is_ new and never met you before, so I couldn't spoil that for her. And apparently has been scared of me since she started on the project with me."

"See? That's a skill." Clint said, kissing her forehead. "Having people fear you is good. Did she say why?"

She shrugged, rolling onto her back now to stare up at the ceiling. "I guess rumors went around that while I look calm and sweet, I'm actually a raging volcano underneath. Someone told her not to piss me off or I'd throw her from the window, and that apparently I had already gone through 10 new recruits before being saddled with her." She stretched her arms out, wincing a bit. "And apparently I have a legion of men at my disposal who will take out my enemies."

He snorted, trying his best not to laugh, but when he looked at Remy, who was giving him a very serious look, he burst out laughing. She reached over and slapped his bare stomach playfully. "Hey, don't laugh or I'll get my legion of men on you. They will do whatever their mistress commands." She retorted; Clint just laughed harder, rolling away from her because he knew if he looked at her again, he wouldn't be able to stop laughing. "Okay, that's it, you're not in my legion of men."

"Aw, no, babe!" He looked back over at her, trying to stop himself from laughing. She was glaring at him, but it was hard to take her seriously when she kept mouthing 'legion of men' at him. He finally reached over and covered her mouth with his hand. "No, no, stop, please!"

She licked the palm of his hand and rolled away from him, sitting up on the bed before she climbed off it. "You are such a dork."

Clint just grinned as he stretched out on her bed. "Damn right. Now where are you off too?"

"Bathroom. I gotta pee." She retorted, sticking her tongue out at him before disappearing into the bathroom. He yawned in response, then let out a satisfied moan as he relaxed into her mattress. Fuck this bed, it was incredibly comfortable. Far better than the mattress he had been sleeping on in the dorm, and even better than the one in his apartment. He wondered if Remy would notice if he swapped it with his own. She probably would – she often paid attention to those sort of things. He had almost finished coming up with a plan to steal it when he felt the bed shift and Remy was climbing back onto it, straddling his hips. His hands went right to her waist as he looked up at her, his attention now on his girlfriend.

"Well, hello there." He grinned. "Do you have something in mind for our next round?"

She shook her head. "Nah. Just gotta look at you for a bit. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love getting those photos from you, but having the real you here is way better than anything." She grinned. "Even better than sex."

"Wow, _I'm_ better than sex?" Clint joked, hands rubbing her hips slowly. "I feel honored, 'cause I know how much you love sex." She continued grinning as she leaned down to kiss him, dragging her nails over his chest slowly. He licked his lips and shivered at her touch, lifting his arms to wrap around her shoulders to hold her to him as they kissed.

She broke the kiss and sat up, biting down on her lip as she lifted her hips up suddenly, watching him as she sank down on him. Clint shut his eyes and moaned, putting his hands back on her hips, helping her keep a steady pace. "Y'know what I always wanted to do?" She asked, licking her lips as she grabbed his hands, entwining their fingers together as her hips moved. "I always wanted to recite poetry doing this."

Clint opened his eyes and gave her a funny look. "You're going to recite poetry while sitting on my dick." It wasn't a question. "What the hell would you recite?"

"Mm, Dr. Seuss or somethin'." She sighed, grinning down at him as he just gave her an unamused look, thrusting his hips upward suddenly. She moaned, grinding her hips against him as he continued the quick and sharp thrusts. "Don't be a brat. I'd, um, I'd want to um, _stop I can't think._"

Shaking his head, he sat up suddenly, wrapping his arms around her to keep her from falling backwards. She yelped in surprise, grabbing onto his shoulders to stay balanced. "Dammit, Clint!"

He chuckled, sliding his hand down her back and to her ass as she rolled her hips against his. "I didn't do anything wrong, so don't get mad at me, okay?" His breathing hitched slightly, digging his nails into her back as her hips rocked against his slowly. "You're a real tease sometimes, you know that?"

"Me? A tease?" She bit down on her lip, letting out a moan. "Maybe you should do somethin' about it?"

Clint grinned, kissing her as he tightened his grip around her before changing positions again. Now Remy was underneath him and on her back, legs wrapping around his waist as his hips moved faster. She arched her back off the bed, moaning loudly as she felt herself getting closer.

"Gettin' close, babe?" Clint murmured, reaching up to brush her hair from her face. She didn't reply, instead moaning and making little whimpering sounds. He always could tell when she was about finished, because she would stop talking, and he was fine with that, because it meant he could talk dirty to her and say ridiculous things without her having a response. He groaned, his hands moving to her hips as he thrust into her. She let out a cry, her nails digging into his back as she came. Clint kissed her again, giving a few more sharp thrusts before he stilled, sinking into her. "Fuck, babe. You're beautiful, Remy. So amazing."

She let go of him, stretching her arms out at her sides as she looked at him, breathing heavily. "Well then."

"Mm?" He pulled out of her before collapsing on his side next to her, being mindful of her injured arm. "We're gonna keep this up, right? It might come to the point where both of us will walk bow-legged after these next few days."

Remy giggled, reaching over to lazily paw at his face. "I just realized something, babe..."

"What?" He asked, turning his head to kiss her palm.

"Gonna have to wear clothes tomorrow 'cause I have no food in the house. We're gonna have to go shopping." She told him, moving her hand to slide her fingers through his hair. "You'll come with me, right? I'll need a bodyguard."

Clint groaned and curled up beside her, hiding his face against her neck. "Don't wannaaaa." He whined. "Let's just do take out."

"Nooo, because I'll need food after you leave, you know." She pouted, kissing the top of his head. He grumbled in response, closing his eyes as he nudged her to roll onto her side, wrapping his arms around her. "Fine, spoon me and ignore me. No pancakes tomorrow, I guess."

Clint grumbled and tightened his grip on her, one hand rubbing her stomach slowly while the other gripped her hip. "Pancakes tomorrow. We'll get groceries." He huffed in annoyance. "Why are we always so chatty after sex?"

"Because that's just what we do." She grinned. "And because I like to talk and cuddle, okay?"

"Whatever." He sighed, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "You didn't quote poetry while sitting on my dick, babe. I'm hurt."

"Oh, oh, you want poetry?" She rolled over to face him, planting a kiss on the corner of his mouth before she began. "I am Daniel, I am Sam. Sam I am. That Sam I am. That Sam I am!"

"Oh god, no."

"I do not like that Sam I am."

"Please stop."

She grinned wider. "Do you like green eggs and ham?"

"I will pay you to stop, Remy."

"I do not like them, Sam I am." She giggled. "I do not like green – _hey_!"

Clint promptly shut her up by kissing her and putting his hand between her legs. It was enough of a distraction to get her to stop quoting _Green Eggs and Ham _and to get her going again.


	28. Chapter 28

**Author's Note: **The story is slowly getting to the events of the first Avengers film. Now I feel my fic is moving slow, so I apologize for that, but I hope y'all are still enjoying it.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight**

Going out grocery shopping with Clint was as intense as Remy imagined it would be. He put a range of junk food into the cart while Remy looked for things that she knew would be easy to take into work for lunches. Occasionally she would swap out a bag of chips for something healthier, but it was all for naught, because the chips would just end up back in the cart.

And apparently Clint made it a personal mission to pet every dog he met on their walk back to the apartment. Remy lost count after twenty dogs. She didn't realize that there was that many dogs in the few blocks from her apartment to the store. It was actually incredibly cute to see how excited Clint got when he saw a dog, calling them all puppies – even if the dog was clearly older. But each dog wagged their tail, excited to make a new friend with Clint. Remy almost wondered if she needed to apologize to the owners, but they were surprisingly friendly and happy to talk about their pets.

"I want one."

Remy glanced at Clint as they climbed the stairs of her building. "You want one what?"

"A dog." He replied, taking the grocery bags from her as she let them into the apartment. "I mean, I've always wanted one, but I know that right now it'd be a bad idea with being gone so much."

"Well, yea. They're like having kids, aren't they? Long term commitment and all." She said as she headed into the kitchen. "I've heard they can live up to 17 years or more."

"Do you want a dog?" Clint asked her as he began to put the groceries away. Remy poured them both a glass of water. "I mean, you like dogs, right?"

She nodded. "I like dogs, but I don't know if I'd ever get one. Maybe? I guess I want to see what's gonna go down with this crazy shit."

"Yea." He sighed, putting away the vegetables and other perishables. "I hope at some point I'll get one. It'd just be nice to have that extra companionship, you know. Dogs love you no matter what."

"Aw, well, I'll love you for now, how about that?" Remy chimed in, handing him a glass of water. He gave her a funny look as he took the glass and she sort of realized what she said. "Oh, well, I mean..."

"No, no. it's okay." He took a sip of the water. "I wouldn't mind you loving me for now, because I uh, I'll love you for now too." Clint looked a little uncomfortable; Remy felt the same.

"So, uh. Go sit and I'll make lunch." She insisted, shooing him out of the kitchen. "Relax and enjoy your little vacation, Clint."

He nodded and turned to head to the couch, but instead doubled back and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Hey."

"Hey?" She repeated, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"I... what I just said." He hesitated, looking down at his feet. "Love and all."

"Clint." She sighed. "Don't worry about it. I..."

"No. Don't, okay?" He cupped her face in his hands, looking back at her now. "I really like you a lot, Remy. And I love spending time with you whenever I can, because you make me laugh and, well, the sex is great." She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "And, well. I know we've only been together a few months now..."

"But we've known each other for practically five years, Clint." She pointed out, placing a hand on his chest. "You are right, though, because we've only been dating a few months..."

"Right? And I'm just hesitant to really say anything right now just because of the job and what could happen. I don't want to hurt you at all, Remy, just know that." He replied, sighing. "And because I don't want Coulson killing me."

"Phil would do worse than kill you." She retorted, shaking her head. "Look, Clint, say what you need to say. Don't dance around it. If you are about to say you love me, then say it. If it's to say that you really like me and wanna see where it's going, then say that. I'm a grown ass woman and for the most part I can handle adult topics like this."

He chuckled and leaned forward, kissing her forehead. "I think I love you, Remy, but I want to wait a bit longer before I really say anything, all right?"

"Okay then." She nodded, looking up at him. "I'm pretty sure I love you, but I agree, wait until you're done with whatever the hell you're doing before making any decisions. But for now, go sit your ass down and relax while I make lunch, okay? Maybe we can go for another walk and you can pet every dog you see again."

"Sounds good to me." He said with a nod. "I need to get some exercise before tonight."

Remy just rolled her eyes and started making lunch.

* * *

Clint had managed to pet every damn dog they came across on their walk. It was impressive, slightly embarrassing, but adorable when Remy watched how excited he was to pet them. She kept count this time, wondering if he broke some kind of world record when it added up to 40 dogs in the park.

"You really like petting dogs, don't you, Clint?" She commented after he finished petting an overly excited cocker spaniel. "You're kind of making me want one."

"Just pet the next dog we meet, Remy." He replied as he stood back up, thanking the owner. They walked a few more steps before he spotted a puppy ahead of them. "Go and ask if you can pet their dog. It's all you gotta do."

"Oh, no. No, no, no. This is your weird obsession." She said, shaking her head. "You are the one wanting to pet every dog. I'm just along to watch."

"Baaaabe, pleaaaaase?" Clint was pouting at her now, holding onto her hand and trying to get her to greet the puppy. She allowed him to beg for a few more minutes before she finally gave in and walked up to the owner. The young man smiled brightly at her.

"Hello!" He greeted, giving her a wave. "Would you like to pet my dog?"

Well, okay. That was a little weird. He must had overheard the conversation or seen Clint going from dog to dog in the park. Remy shrugged a bit and knelt down to greet the puppy. It was a retriever mix and happily jumped at her, the little paws leaving muddy prints on her legs. Okay, the puppy was incredibly cute. Remy was distracted by the puppy nipping at her fingers and trying to climb into her lap to have noticed another man approach her from behind. She pulled the puppy into her lap, only to suddenly be jerked backwards roughly by her hair. Yelping, she wrapped her arms around the puppy to keep it from getting hurt.

Remy lay flat on her back, staring up at the barrel of a gun. A man stood there, grinning widely while the puppy's supposed owner held another gun at her. Well, shit. Was this just because she was cuddling the puppy?

"Look, sorry, you can have your dog back..." Remy said as she started to sit up. "And I've kind of already been shot recently so I'd rather not have another bullet hole in me."

"Shut up." The first man hissed, pressing the barrel against her forehead. "We're taking you in. Our boss wants to talk with you."

"Uh... about the dog?" Shit. Were these some kind of Chimera Order goons? She was not expecting this at all. She didn't even think they ever came into the city, figuring they stayed closer to the rural areas. Not to mention this was D.C., but if Jameson was of the Order, it shouldn't be a big surprise for them to be in the area. "Uh, sorry for petting the dog to long. Go ahead and take it back?"

"Remy!"

She swore and turned. Clint was standing there, his own gun drawn and aimed at the first man. "Put the fucking gun away and I might let you live." Where the hell was he hiding a gun? She wasn't surprised at all by that, knowing he would always have some sort of weapon on him, but at the same time, where did it come from?

"We need her. She's more important to us." The man snapped, keeping the gun aimed at Remy's forehead. "We won't hurt her if she comes along with us." The dog's owner turned his gun toward Clint, grinning. "You'll get shot, though, no matter what."

Clint rolled his eyes, keeping the gun aimed at the first man. "You do know you'll be the one getting shot, right?"

"You think we're the only two here?" The man laughed. "We have several men around. All with ways to hurt the people around here." He smiled. "Would you really risk the lives of the people here? The children? The animals? I knew you SHIELD agents were violent, but I didn't think you'd allow innocent people to get hurt."

"Clint..." Remy winced as the barrel was shoved into her forehead. "Hey, asshole, watch it! God, you people are fucking idiots, don't you understand that by now?"

"Remy, stop." Clint warned, trying his best to keep eyes on both men. With one gun pointed at Remy, one at him, and the possibility of injures on other people, it was a little difficult to have a next step in his plan. She rolled her eyes, still cradling the wriggling puppy in her arms. It was getting more difficult to hang onto the creature.

"No, because these idiots don't seem to understand how I work!" She exclaimed. "Pointing a gun at my head? Are you serious? You know that if you shoot me in the head you're all fucked. Then what? No promotions for the idiot who killed me or made me into vegetable! And you know you can't hack my brain, right, so if you're gonna point the gun, point it at something that's not going to kill me!" She huffed in annoyance. "You boys are as dumb as Jameson! What, are you my half brothers somehow too? Does Robert Paterson only produce dumb sons?"

"_Remy_!"

She gave him a look as she continued on full rant. "And another thing. Using an innocent puppy as bait? If you want me to go with you give me food or something, not an adorable puppy. And in broad day light, really? There's so many damn witnesses here! Not to mention some lady screaming and hollering about who knows what!"

The two men looked at each other in confusion, or was it frustration?, as Remy continued. Now she went on to rant loudly about the weather and how these men were dressed poorly for it. Those black suits in the sun, really? They might get heat stroke. Clint realized what she was doing – creating a crazy distraction. How she was able to do this, he wasn't sure, but he used this moment to hit a panic button on his phone, one that would send a distress call to the Triskelion to send help immediately. He just hoped it would be soon enough. How much could Remy ramble on?

Apparently for a long time. She was going on now about how she hated the humid summers in D.C. and how she would prefer something mild, like the Pacific Northwest, and how that western Washington's climate was different from the eastern side due to the rain shadow effect. How this worked, Clint wasn't sure, but her talking kept those two idiots distracted as she then went onto the geological aspects of the Pacific Northwest next, the rantings of earthquakes and volcanoes loud enough for others to hear. The guns were still out and Clint wasn't sure if it was true that there were other goons out there, but he wasn't about to risk it as he kept his gun fixed on the two men.

Remy took a deep breath as she began to slow her rantings down, her attention moving between the two goons. She had stayed perfectly still during that whole rant, not wanting to risk having one of them shoot her. What was the next thing she could go on about?

Apparently they had enough, however, as the first man pressed the barrel of the gun back against her forehead. "That's enough of your ramblings, girly girl." He grumbled, clearly annoyed at the distraction. He looked at his companion. "Shoot the guy and we'll take her in."

Remy immediately turned to Clint. He was ready to fire his gun at the first man, but the second man was about to fire his own at Clint. She swore, setting the puppy out of her lap as she tried to stand up. Oh hell, she wasn't about to let them shoot her boyfriend.

"Don't, stop, don't hurt him!" She cried as she stood up, the first man grabbing hold of her arm. "Don't hurt him, no matter what, okay? Or the puppy. Don't hurt either of them or anyone else. I'll go with you."

"_Remy_!" Clint hissed. What was with this sudden daredevil act of hers? She hated guns and even being around them most of the time. She cried and vomited after firing a gun a few weeks ago, but now she was standing up to guys _with_ guns and ready to go with the people she hated the most?

"No, Clint, it's fine. Really." She insisted, smiling at him. "Really. It's okay."

"No, Remy, it's n-"

He didn't get to finish his sentence. Screeching tires were heard a few hundred yards away from them, then the sound of doors opening and someone yelling. The goons turned and Remy ducked back down, collecting the puppy in her arms as the agents rushed forward, guns drawn and yelling for everyone to freeze. The first man swore loudly and reached for Remy again, but a gun went off and Remy felt something wet hit her face.

When she looked up, the man was dead beside her and Clint was lowering his gun. The agents stopped the other man, as well as several others who took off in different directions. She sat there in shock, watching it all unfold. This shit just got real now.

* * *

**Closing Notes: **Remy is essentially never going to be the bad ass kind of agent, just for the record. She's going to think quick on her feet but never take into consideration much of the consequences. That's kind of how she rolls.

And the dog conversation wasn't some sort of masked thing about having kids either. They were really just talking about dogs.


	29. Chapter 29

**Author's Note: **Oh look, another update within... 12 hours or something. Because why not. No school to keep me busy so I'm gonna update a bit quicker. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Clint was _not_ happy with her. It was apparent as he glared at her while a nurse cleaned the blood off her face and gave her a clean t-shirt to wear. The whole time she held onto the puppy's leash, for some reason unable to give him(Brock had the unfortunate experience of learning the puppy's gender after a little accident) up to any other agent. The puppy barked excitedly, tugging at the leash as he tried to get to Clint. When she looked up at her boyfriend, she just knew he was mad not only by that glare, but because he wasn't acknowledging the puppy.

"Lucky wants to say hi?" She tried, her voice quiet. His glare was worse now and she recoiled, looking down at the puppy. "I named him Lucky because he's... lucky."

"You should name him Stupid because of what you did." Clint growled, crossing his arms over his chest as he kept to the other side of the room. The nurse collected Remy's bloodied shirt and left, not wanting to be in the room much longer. Clint managed to wait til they were alone before blowing up at her. "What the hell, Remy, seriously?! You could have gotten yourself killed! It's been only a few weeks since your last stunt like this!"

"Okay, in my defense, both of these were traps." She insisted, trying to act like she wasn't terrified of him right then. "And... and I didn't know what else to do. So I thought distracting them with the shit that I've memorized over the years would work." Clint didn't look impressed. "Hey, at least the Strike team arrived before I started reciting _Death of a Salesman_?"

"You're not as cute right now as you seem to think you are." He said, shaking his head. "I'm _really_ angry at you right now. They could have killed you!"

"No, Clint, they weren't going too." Remy told him, shaking her head. She hopped off the exam bed and sat down on the ground, pulling Lucky into her lap. "Because they want my head." She frowned. "God, no, that doesn't sound right. They want the data _in_ my head. SHIELD data. Probably even that old Chimera Order shit too. I still remember all of that stuff, you know, the numbers and even the ingredients for the bombs they used to make. All that shit got destroyed by Paterson after I learned it, you know? I'm probably the only person who knows that stuff." She looked up at her boyfriend. He wasn't glaring anymore, but he still didn't look happy. "They... won't kill me because they want the information."

"What about other people, Remy?" Clint asked, still keeping his distance. "They had other men around ready to hurt innocent bystanders! You have to realize that they were willing to kill other people just to get you to come with them!"

"I... I asked them not too."

"Asking them won't get you shit." He snapped. "They'll do whatever the hell they want to get you to come with them. Sure, they could have told you that they wouldn't kill anyone at the park, but that doesn't mean shit. The second you walked away, they could have killed people just _because_."

Remy bit her lip, looking down at Lucky. He was pulling at her shoelaces, growling before he dropped the laces and looked at Clint. He hopped off Remy's lap and padded over to the other human in the room, sniffing at his shoes before attacking the cuff of his pants.

Clint sighed heavily and shook his head. Without another word he left the room, leaving Remy and the puppy alone. She scrambled to get to her feet, scooped Lucky into her arms, and followed after him. "Clint, wait, where are you going?!"

"I can't really look at you right now, Remy." He told her as he stormed down the hallway. "Besides, Fury wants to talk to you so you need to go find him. He's probably in his office."

She stopped following him and watched him walk away, blinking back tears. Well, shit. Guess she needed to go talk to Fury. He was probably going to yell at her too.

* * *

"Why the hell do you have a dog?" Fury asked when Remy walked into his office, still clutching that leash.

"Because he was used as bait and I didn't want to leave him." She replied with a shrug, taking her usual seat across from his desk. She reached down and pulled Lucky into her lap, giggling softly as the puppy attacked her face with kisses. "I kind of was thinking of getting a dog anyway and figured that guy didn't really want this puppy, so why not? I could raise him to be a guard dog."

Lucky currently had his two front paws on Remy's face as he tried to chew on her hair, his tail wagging happily.

"He sure is a fierce beast. The Chimera Order doesn't stand a chance." Fury commented dryly. Remy just shrugged, grunting when one of Lucky's paws scraped her cheek while the other nearly ended up in her mouth. Fury shook his head and looked at her. "So you tried to talk your way out of being killed again. This time with other people being at risk of death."

"Yea, see, Clint already yelled at me about that." Remy sighed, pushing Lucky down into her lap as he tried to scramble over her shoulder. "But I'm ready for you to do to the same, so bring it on. Or should I just repeat what Clint said? I know what I did was stupid and that I could have gotten people killed. I panicked. I did the same thing I did back at the prison, only this time I didn't have a chair to throw."

"And this time you had two guns pointed at you by trained militia instead of one idiot." Fury said, leaning back in his seat. "We had seven of them in custody."

She looked up at that and frowned.

"Did you say 'had'?"

He nodded. "Had seven. Now we just have two. Apparently they went the way of Nora Clark. On the trip back to here, five of them bit down on a cyanide capsule disguised as a tooth. Guess they are scared of being interrogated by SHIELD."

"Well... okay." She nodded, not really sure what to say. "What about the other two?"

"Hill's busy interrogating one. Coulson has the other."

"Wait, Coulson's back too from whatever the hell he's doing?" She frowned. "How long?"

Fury shrugged. "He goes back when Agent Barton goes back."

Oh. Her heart sank thinking of Clint. "Heh, right. That's just another couple of days, isn't it? Will they be able to crack those guys?"

He shrugged again. "Hopefully. These men are dedicated to the cause of the Chimera Order, considering 5 of them willingly took their lives in order to not be interrogated. The other two weren't able to dislodge their pill, which is why they're still alive. As soon as it was realized what happened, their teeth were checked and any false tooth was removed."

Remy winced. "Ugh, how many false teeth were there?"

"Only one in each mouth."

"Ugh."

"Agent Black, considering that this is the second attempt on you in the last month, I'm going to suggest you start learning self defense. Actually, no, not suggest it but _order_ it. I'm going to get in contact with Agent Rollins to get that going. Hopefully you can start as soon as tomorrow because you won't always be so lucky." He stood up and leaned on his desk, narrowing his eye at her. "You need to start taking this seriously now, Agent Black. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir." She replied, looking right back at him. "Self defense training. Got it."

"Good." He looked over at Lucky. The puppy was currently chewing on Remy's fingers as he squirmed in her lap. "And get that dog some training and chew toys. Otherwise Coulson will kill you if that thing eats any of his Captain America shit."

* * *

It was late when Remy finally got home. She had ran several errands, including shopping for Lucky to get him food, toys, and a bed, and then the vet appointment took _forever_ because she was a walk in. Most of her time was spent at the clinic, which equated to over 3 hours of her sitting around with the squirmy puppy. Thankfully they let her feed him and walk him to get some of the wiggles out, but it was still an ordeal. In the end it was worth it when he was given a clean bill of health and they were able to tell her he was definitely a cocker spaniel and golden retriever mix. He would basically be the size of a puppy for most of his life, which was fine with her. Next thing she needed to do was get him a pet license.

Once Remy dropped off the bags, she took Lucky outside again to do his business. She made sure to stay in front of the building, letting him sniff around the small patch of grass that was in front of it. She kept her guard up for the 10 minutes she was out there, making eye contact with every person who walked by. There was no telling if she was going to walk into another trap again. Remy needed to make sure she kept either to SHIELD or her apartment when Clint was away; maybe she could get Brock to go with her on errands.

As soon as she was back in her apartment, she let Lucky off the leash. Immediately the puppy ran toward one of the bags, sniffing curiously as he pawed at it. She slipped her shoes off and dumped the bag of toys out for him before heading to her room. To her surprise, Clint was in there and fast asleep in her bed. Well, she was not expecting that at all so she grabbed her pajamas that were on the floor and crept back out to the living room to change. She thought he would have been staying at his own apartment for the rest of his stay, figuring he was still mad about earlier.

Sighing, she grabbed the dog bed and laid it out in the middle of the living room before throwing a blanket on it and some toys. Next she picked Lucky up and placed him on it. "Okay, dude, get some sleep." She whispered, petting him softly. "Wake me up if you need something. Bark or whatever it is you do."

The puppy woofed, picking up a chew toy and shaking it. Remy rolled her eyes and went to the couch, laying back on it before pulling a blanket over her. She kept her eyes on the puppy as he rolled around in his bed with the toy, growling and woofing as he fought with it.

Her mind kept going over how the day went. Everything had been fine until Clint told her to go pet Lucky. And she was fine to do it, because he was a cute little puppy, but then everything escalated so quickly that it was hard to register how fast it all happened. One second she was petting Lucky, the next her hair was being pulled and there was a gun pointed at her forehead. It was probably stupid to have yelled and carried on the way she did, but she didn't know what else to do to stall them. They were going to hurt Clint and others, and Remy didn't want that to happen.

Then again, she should have just listened to Clint when he told her to stop talking. He was trained for these sort of situations and she certainly wasn't. She could seriously endangered someone by her disregard of the situation, but she had been _terrified_. Remy thought back to when she was 15 with the ear piece and recording the conversation with Robert Paterson – the conversation that would help get him arrested and taken down. She had stalled then, asking stupid questions and trying to prolong the ordeal to get him to talk more. And now apparently that's how she chose to react to these situations now: if she feels threatened, she'll just ramble on about whatever. What else was her memory for if not to store things for a later time?

And she had been serious about reciting _Death of a Salesman_ to keep the ramblings going if it called for it.

Her attention turned to Lucky. The retriever mix was settling down on his bed finally, content to chew on the stuffed dragon Remy had bought him. Why the hell did she suddenly have a dog? This was never part of any plan, _ever_. Yes, she liked dogs. They were cute and fun to look at, but she also knew they were like having a kid in terms of responsibility.

But Lucky was being used to get to Remy. How that goon knew to have a puppy with him in the park, she wasn't sure, but Lucky had been unfairly used and she couldn't help but feel a little connection with the furry devil when she thought how she had been used by Paterson as a kid. Not to mention she didn't know what was going to happen to him after the agents rushed in. She couldn't let him get sent to the shelter. He was just as innocent in this situation as she was.

Innocent and destructive. God, what was she thinking? This monster was going to destroy the apartment and everything in it. Coulson was going to murder her for this, she was sure of it. They never discussed having pets, mostly because he was always gone. So for her to spring this on him? Oh, he'll kill her. This wasn't the kind of surprise he would want to come home too.

Lucky gave a sleepy growl as he rolled around again with the toy. She could see he was getting tired, so hopefully he'd fall asleep soon. Remy just hoped she'd be able to wake up to him needing to go pee or something so she wouldn't wake up to a nasty surprise.

* * *

**Closing Note**: Okay I'm not super great at writing conflict, but I knew that Clint had to get mad at her for what she did in the previous chapter.

I also had to add Lucky because a) I love Fraction's _Hawkeye_ comics and therefore I love Lucky, and b) it's been a year since my own dog passed away so I really needed to write in a dog in this story. Golden retriever cocker mixes are so adorable I feel if everyone looked at one they would never feel sadness again. That is why I chose that breed for this Lucky. 


	30. Chapter 30

**Author's Note: **Aw. Here's thirty! I never thought I'd get this far in a story. And I have almost another 10 chapters written. Good Lord.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty**

"There a reason you're not in bed?"

Remy opened one eye, looking up at a very sleepy and disheveled looking Clint. It was adorable to see him like this, but she had a feeling that he was still mad at her because of earlier, so she just shrugged, stretching her arms out as she tried to get herself comfortable on this awful couch. Why she didn't just sleep on the floor was beyond her. The couch was terrible for sleeping on.

"Thought you'd wanna be alone." She mumbled sleepily, looking over at Lucky instead of Clint. The puppy was fast asleep and curled up with his new toys. The bed was huge – could probably accommodate Remy as well if she had thought about it. "You were asleep when I came home and I didn't wanna wake you."

Clint sighed heavily, leaning on the back of the couch as he looked down at her. "Get off the couch and come to _your_ bed, Remy." He insisted. "Stop being ridiculous."

She turned to face him, glaring. "Not being ridiculous. I'm just trying to take your feelings into account over what happened."

"Oh my god, Remy." He groaned. "Come to bed. My feelings will be hurt if you don't."

"You're still mad at me, though." She mumbled, looking away from him again. "I'm fine here."

"Damn right I'm still mad. But I don't want to sleep alone." He tried, feeling himself growing frustrated with her. "Please, if you don't come to bed, then I'm just gonna join you on the couch."

Remy rolled her eyes and looked back at him. "You won't fit. _I_ barely fit."

Well, that was dumb to say because seconds later Clint threw hopped over the back of the couch and stretched out on top of her. She grunted at the sudden extra weight, squirming under him as she tried to free her arms.

"You're going to crush me to death!" She exclaimed as she tried to push him off. "Get off me, Barton!"

"What was that?" He asked as he grabbed her by the wrists and pinned them to the armrest. "Get you off? But Remy, this isn't the bedroom!"

"Oh. My. God. _Clint_!" She yelped as he kept her wrists pinned with one hand while the other slid to the waist band of her shorts. "I'm not into angry sex, okay! No sex when you hate me!"

He looked down at her, stalling his hand as he gave her a funny look. "You think I hate you?"

"Well..." She looked anywhere but at him again. He let go of her wrists and grabbed her chin, gently turning her head so she'd face him. There were tears forming in her eyes as she finally looked at him. "I kind of thought you might because I'm being an idiot over all of this. I risked your life and other people's lives today and I am stubborn and an idiot and someone's bound to get killed because of this. I don't want you to hate me if someone dies because of me."

"Oh my God, Remy." He sighed, pressing his forehead against hers. "I don't hate you at all, honest. Am I mad about earlier? Yes, because I was scared you or someone else was going to get hurt. Am I still mad at you because of how stubborn you were about it all? Hell yes I am."

She nodded, sniffing a bit as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. Clint wiped them away with his thumb. "Remy, don't cry, please? Just come to bed and get some sleep. Today was crazy, but tomorrow will be normal, I promise. We just need to get some sleep so you need to come to bed with me right now, okay?"

Remy looked at him and sighed. She kissed the tip of his nose before settling back into the couch. "No."

He looked confused. "No? No what?"

"Not going to bed with you. 'mma stay right here on this awful couch." She replied, trying to get herself comfortable on the couch. "Nighty night, Clint."

"What? No, no way. Get into bed with me, woman!" He ordered, hands moving to her sides as he suddenly began tickling her. She shrieked and thrashed around on the couch.

"No, what the hell, Clint!" She yelped, trying to stop him. Clint wouldn't get up, smirking down at her as he continued the torture. Somehow Remy managed to get the upper hand, wrapping her legs around his waist and using her weight to jerk him to the side, and before Clint knew it, he was flat on his back next to the couch with his girlfriend sitting on his stomach, looking down at him. "You okay?"

He was a little confused and looked at her. "How the hell-"

"Please, you're not the first person to do that to me while I was defenseless." She said dryly. "Apparently a lot of people I've been with seem to think tickling is the best way to get into my pants. I learned to throw them off pretty fast." They had disturbed the puppy and soon Clint had a face full of fur as Lucky barked and licked his face. He was trapped now with Remy on top of him and Lucky attacking his face. "You really want me to go to bed with you?"

"Ugh, yes, please." He grumbled, trying to push the excited puppy away.

"Fine. But get comfortable." She climbed off him and grabbed the pillows and blankets she had been using. "The beast has awoken and would probably be miserable if we left him out of the room. We're sleeping on the floor."

Clint groaned but didn't fight her on this. She fluffed the pillows before laying down beside him. He managed to get Lucky away from him long enough so he could wrap his arm around Remy, pressing his body close to hers as he pressed a few soft kisses to her shoulder. She pulled the blankets over them and rolled over to face him, giving him a quick kiss on the lips. "Get to sleep, Clint."

He nodded, about to kiss her again before Lucky decided to ruin the moment by getting in Clint's face and smothering him with kisses. The archer groaned and tried to push the puppy away, but Lucky insisted on claiming a spot on the pillow next to Clint's head, licking his forehead sleepily. Sighing, Clint did what he could to ignore him but it was a little difficult when Lucky finally fell asleep, his paws occasionally hitting Clint in the face.

"Is this what it's like to have kids?" He grumbled, trying to fall asleep. Remy giggled, pressing her forehead against his chest.

"I'unno. Never had a kid before." She murmured, planting soft kisses on his skin. "Thank God the puppy is cute."

"Mhm. Seriously." Clint sighed as he began to feel himself grow sleepy. "Cuter than babies at least."

Remy nodded and yawned, closing her eyes. She could tell Clint was already falling asleep, and it wasn't long until she dozed off as well. The floor was uncomfortable and cold, but it was worth it to be sleeping next to Clint like this with a puppy snuggled with them.

* * *

Having a puppy was very much like having a baby, Remy decided. Except babies wore diapers.

It had been several days since the incident in the park and Lucky coming into Remy's care. Sure, the cute factor outweighed the accidents and chewed up shoes, but _still_. Puppies could do some serious damage. She was looking into obedience training and doggy daycare, but that shit was expensive. And she had to go back to work, not to mention start self defense training with Rollins (she had awoken to her phone giving her an email alert telling her to meet him at six AM when her vacation ended. She wasn't thrilled to work with him) at the same time. It was going to be nightmarish working with Jack Rollins, because while she didn't mind him in small doses, she felt that he hated her and that theses sessions were going to be worse than what she went through with Sally and Natasha.

And now it was five in the morning on the day she had to go back into the office. Clint had left the night before to return to whatever the hell he was doing(she still didn't know and didn't want to ask.) Her neighbor was truly awesome, as she was willing to puppy-sit until Remy could find affordable doggy daycare. She got herself ready as fast as possible, throwing clothes into her gym bag before collecting her lunch, purse, Lucky, and a bag of toys and food for him. She dropped him off with her neighbor before rushing to her car and heading to the Triskelion.

At 5:45 in the morning there was barely anyone there. That was both nice and a little scary, because Remy was on extra heightened alert now after what all has happened. She kept pepper spray on her car keys now, just in case, and she kept them handy as she walked through the building, nodding to the few agents that she saw as she approached the elevator that would take her to the gym. If Rollins was going to be working with her, that could mean that Brock would be nearby. Maybe she could ask him this morning about hanging out while Clint was away. It would be nice to just have the back up if she was attacked again.

After she got changed and pulled her hair back in a braid she headed into the room mentioned in the email. There were mats everywhere on the floor, a few benches against the wall, and one full wall of just mirrors. In the middle was Jack Rollins and a _tiny_ woman. Seriously, Remy thought her to be a hobbit compared to Jack's muscular form; that woman was at least 5'1". They appeared to be arguing about _something_, and Remy was about to turn and leave before she saw Jack grab the woman roughly by the arm, pulling her back to him. Before Remy could make a sound, the petite woman twisted, hooking her leg behind his knee and knocking him flat onto his back. He let go of her arm and looked up at her as she proceeded to sit on his stomach.

"I win." Remy heard her say. "That means you wash the dishes tonight."

Jack grumbled and looked over at Remy. "Stop being a creep, Black. Get over here."

"Uhhh..." Was all Remy said as she made her way over to them. "... so. I'm here for self defense training. Try not to rip my arms out of my sockets, Rollins, please? Arm is still tender."

The petite woman jumped up, gave Jack a playful kick in the ribs and then bounced over to Remy. "You're Agent Black? Wonderful! I'm happy to finally meet you." She said, grinning widely as she took hold of Remy's hand, shaking it. "I'm Agent Autumn Rollins. I'll be your trainer."

Wait, what. Remy frowned as she looked between Jack and Autumn. "I thought..."

Autumn raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. All the email said was Agent Rollins."

"Yep."

"Yea, no, that's me." She said, glancing over at Jack who looked bored with them already. "Hey, husband, I'll see you at lunch. Go do whatever it is you and Brock do when I'm not around."

He rolled his eyes and got to his feet before grabbing his hoodie, heading to the door. Autumn grinned and watched him leave before looking back at Remy. "You were probably terrified thinking he was gonna train you, huh?"

"Uh, well..." Remy shrugged. "The guy seems to hate me so I wasn't to thrilled on the idea."

"Oh, him? He doesn't hate you." Autumn assured her as she plopped herself onto the mat. "Sit with me while we do stretches. We'll go easy today." Remy nodded and did what she was told, sitting across from Autumn. "So, I was given a brief history of what all you've done here. You've done minimal weapons training, a week or self defense, and other than that... nothing."

"Well..." Remy tried to think of an excuse or something else to say, but there was nothing. "No, you're right. I did a week of basic self defense with Romanoff and Keller, but that was more them beating me up." She tried to mimic the stretches Autumn was dong. "And I did minimal weapons training with Keller before she was reassigned a few weeks ago. And years ago Rumlow tried to get me interested in it, but he gave up after I threatened to shoot him if he didn't stop."

Autumn grinned. "Sounds like him." She started to stretch her arms out. "Well, you and me? This will be long term for the most part. No more week long random stints of this shit, unless I have to go on a brief mission or something, then you get a break. I'm going to work with you until you can take Jack or Brock down, okay? Fury didn't tell me a lot about your situation, but it sounds serious."

"Yea, it is serious..." Remy said, keeping her attention on Autumn as she did the stretches. These were pretty simple to do, actually, and reminded Remy of the stretches she did on the soccer team her senior year of high school. "So... uh. You and Jack Rollins?"

"Hm? Us?" The other woman repeated. Remy just shrugged, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Oh! Yes, we're married. Been married for about five years now."

"Wow. All while being agents?" Remy asked curiously. She knew agents got married and had families, but she also knew a lot of them tended to be against it due to the nature of the job. "That's gotta be rough with him doing what he does."

Autumn shrugged. "Yea, but considering that I do some similar stuff, it's not that bad. We knew the risk goin' into this and constantly remind each other of it when one of us has to go away." She put her legs straight out in front of her, leaning forward and touching her toes. "When you work for SHIELD, you gotta understand that your love life won't be normal, but if you really love someone, it's gonna work out."

* * *

**Closing Note: **Yea okay I have a weird soft spot for Brock Rumlow and Jack Rollins. Do I condone what they stand for in the Captain America movie? HELL NO. But I have this weird soft spot for those assholes, that's why they're in the story and mentioned a lot. I never meant to include another OC but this happened, oops. I have abandoned Sally but I hope to bring her back because I enjoyed her. And I plan to keep Autumn around. I like having kick ass ladies.

Also Remy is kind of like, realizing that her relationship with Clint is the first relationship she's ever had where she really _really_ cares for the guy and doesn't want to lose him, hence she feels that he was hating her because of her actions before and her acting the way she was. Aw.


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: **Thank you all for reading the story! I hope you all are enjoying it!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-One**

Everything hurt. _A__ lot_.

It hurt to put her clothes on, to take her clothes off, to shower, to basically do anything. Lucky was in dire need of playtime, not understanding that his owner was in a lot of pain from the last three days of training with Autumn. He wanted attention, and Remy tried to give it to him, but everything just hurt and she didn't want to move until her muscles stopped aching. But it wasn't fair to him. He didn't understand since he was just a puppy. Groaning in pain, she eventually got down on the floor, laying on her stomach before she grabbed a rope toy, trying to entice him to play. It worked, and thankfully all she had to do was hold one end and let him do all of the work, only needing to tug back on it occasionally when he seemed to be giving up.

Lucky was, well, lucky that he was such an adorable little shit. Remy had started taking photos of him and sending them to Clint whenever she could, because she knew he loved Lucky probably more than she did. He had purchased more toys for the bugger before he had to leave again, and now Remy didn't know what to do with all of the chew toys that littered the living room floor.

Coulson really was going to kill her when he walked into the plush chew toy massacre. Lucky had gotten bored while Remy was cooking herself dinner earlier. And when she finally returned to the kitchen, his plush chew toys were destroyed and there was stuffing and body parts everywhere. It was incredible how much destruction that thing could do when he was left alone for only 10 minutes.

And now Remy wondered when Coulson was going to come home. It had been nice having the apartment to herself, but she was getting lonely without him being around, grumping at her for not washing the dishes or leaving food out to long. Sure, it was annoying to be treated like a kid sometimes, but she secretly enjoyed it and right now she'd give anything to talk to him right then, even if it was for him to tell her she needed to use coasters with her beverages.

Her phone suddenly rang and Remy wasn't sure who was louder, her yelping or Lucky's in response to her. Embarrassed, she rolled onto her side to retrieve the phone from her hoodie pocket. She checked the caller ID and grinned, answering the phone.

"You getting psychic in your old age?" She asked teasingly. "I was just thinking about you."

"First off, no, not psychic. And second, no, I'm not old." Coulson retorted. "This is important, however."

"Aw, did Clint tell you about the new roommate?" Remy tensed up. "I'm sorry, I know I should have ask-"

"Remy."

"But he's so tiny and cute, I couldn't leave him! He reminds me of me!"

"Remy, no-"

"You'll love him, Phil. He hasn't chewed up any of your Cap stuff an-"

"_Remy_!"

She stopped talking, noting the urgency in his voice. She also stopped tugging on Lucky's rope toy, and the puppy growled and charged at her, successfully headbutting her in the face. "Aw, shit!"

"Remy."

"Sorry, headbutted. I'll shut up. Talk, please." She glared at the puppy, covering her sore nose.

Coulson sighed. "Barton's been compromised."

She felt her heart stop. "What?"

"He was monitoring the scientists who were overlooking the Tesseract when an incident occurred." Coulson hastily explained. "He's gone with Loki. With the Tesseract. And we don't know where he is."

"...wait, how was he compromised?" Remy asked, checking to make sure her nose wasn't bleeding.

"Loki used a scepter. Did it to a few other agents and Dr. Selvig." He replied hastily. "Natasha has already been informed. Fury's trying to get the Avengers together right now. I'll be on my way to talk to Stark in an hour, but Fury wants you to talk to Rogers."

"Rogers?" Remy frowned. "Who?"

"Captain Steve Rogers! Captain America!"

"Oh. _That _Rogers." She grinned. "Why me? I don't know him at all so why would he listen to me? What the hell am I supposed to say? 'Oh, welcome to the 21st century, Captain. Now go do some awesome shit'? I don't even know what's really going on."

"The Director will debrief you after he picks you up. You'll head to New York where Rogers is staying currently, and well, you can be charming when you need to be." Coulson said hastily. "This is important, Remy. Just talk to him."

"Ugh, okay, yea. I got it. Flirt shamelessly with Captain America and get him to join Fury's dream team." Remy sighed. "Hey, you'll be home when this is all over, right? 'cause you really need to meet the new roommate."

"Barton's been showing me photos since he got back." Coulson replied; Remy knew he was rolling his eyes. "Just keep him out of my room and I'm fine with him being there."

"Deal." Then she paused. "Wait, when is Fury coming?"

The knock on the door seemed to answer that question.

* * *

She was able to change her clothes and pack a bag before they had to leave. Lucky was dropped off with Remy's half asleep but _amazing_ neighbor before she took off into the night with Fury. She felt incredibly awkward and terrified as Fury passed her a few files and tablet, ordering her to get reading as he started the drive to New York City. '_At least we're not flying._' Remy thought as she opened the first file, reading over Steve Rogers' information briefly before moving onto the next one. She could almost feel her mind absorbing everything, and it was a little weird to be taking in all of this information at once, but if it meant helping Clint and others, it was worth it. She wanted him back safely and she was ready to do anything.

"When this is all over, Agent Black, you're going to have to go back in time a bit and give me everything you know about the Chimera Order." Fury said, interrupting her thoughts as he changed lanes. She nodded, tucking the files down by her feet before pulling up the tablet. "I was looking at the tape of your interrogation the other night and you had mentioned a map."

Remy nodded again as she looked over the information on the tablet, getting herself caught up on what was known as the Avengers Initiative, as well as the proposed members. It was a surprise to see Clint and Natasha's names in there, but she kept it to herself.

"I'm going to need you to recreate the locations on the map." He continued, glancing over at her. "And the lists of materials used to make the explosives. If we can start tracking that sort of thing, then SHIELD can stop them faster."

"Yep." Remy murmured, eyes never leaving the screen as she began to read up on Tony Stark. "So, do I get to meet the infamous Tony Stark?"

"When he shows up you will."

"Is he really a big asshole like Coulson's complained about?" She asked, looking over a picture of the Iron Man suit. "I mean, just from reading the file, I get that vibe, but really, it could just be you guys messing around and writing this up like he is."

"If I didn't need you to charm Captain Rogers, I would have sent you to Stark instead of Coulson." Fury replied as the car entered the city. Remy hummed in response as she moved onto the next Avenger: Bruce Banner.

"So. Dr. Banner." She raised an eyebrow. "The Hulk? He's gonna be there? Is that a good idea, 'cause Rollins only just started showing me how to disarm someone. I don't think I could take on the Hulk, sir. Unless you want me to charm him." She lowered the tablet. "I'm not that charming or anything, you know. I flirt and show some cleavage – that's it."

"I don't want to admit it, but you are charming." He grumbled, glancing at her briefly before turning his attention back to the road. "When you worked administration, you had that way of getting agents to come straight into your office to finish paperwork that they had refused to do for others. You played your way into Nora Clark's room on your first mission, when you had no training on that sort of job." He turned the vehicle down a street. "At 15 you convinced Coulson and me to listen to you in order to take Robert Paterson down when in reality, we didn't have to listen to anything you said. But we did and look where we're at now. So before you say you're not that charming or convincing, you need to shut up and remember some of the things you did." He pulled the car over in front of a row of businesses. "Not to mention you were able to tolerate an injured Barton and actually get him to work. Any other agent would have killed him in the first hour. You managed to put him to work in less time."

Remy didn't leave the vehicle just yet. "Look, you guys think that I'm good at that, but really, it's just talking to people. You know how I grew up – I was raised to say the right things when spoken too. Nora Clark? She was family, it didn't count. Barton? You know if you try to boss him around to much he'll turn into an asshole and refuse to do anything, and I knew that, so I knew how to get him into working without a fuss. I do agree, however, that anyone else who didn't know him would have probably killed him within 10 minutes of his stubborn ass refusing to work." She sighed and rubbed her face. "So okay, I'll go talk with Rogers and try to get him to come in, but I make no promises that this will work."

"It will work. Now get going." Fury growled. "Take the Tesseract file in with you. It might work for him to see what he's up against."

"I don't even know what he's up against." She sighed. "You mentioned some Loki guy and the like when you first picked me up this evening. Should I tell him that basically _War of the Worlds_ is about to happen if he doesn't help out? I mean, the book came out in 1898, before he was born, so he should be familiar with it, right?" She looked at the file. "Tesseract. HYDRA. Yea, let's bring this up."

"You'll know what to do. Now get out and go talk to him." He ordered, reaching over her to open the door. "Now before I point a gun at you."

"Gee, you're so charming. Why aren't you talking to him?" She asked sarcastically as she unbuckled her seat belt and hopped out of the car. "You should go get us some coffee 'cause who knows how long this will take."

She collected the file and shut the door before heading to the entrance of the gym. Sighing, she smoothed out her skirt and made sure all the buttons were fixed on her blouse before she entered the business. The sound of a car speeding off caused her to turn and she swore loudly when she realized Fury was gone. '_He better be getting coffee._' She thought grumpily as she sent him a quick text, _Venti caramel macchiato, _before she headed down a flight of stairs. It was late and there was no one else there, but as she approached the main gym she could hear what sounded like _something_ being repeatedly punched.

Sighing, she stopped again, this time in front of a mirror that she came across, to quickly make sure she looked acceptable. Blouse buttoned, skirt smooth, and cardigan unbuttoned. Yea, she looked cute. Remy felt that when speaking to a man from the 1940s, it would be best not to intimidate him to much, even though it had been a year since he was defrosted. She wanted to look gentle in appearance, like a friendly librarian or something, and not a badass administration agent. Except she realized there wasn't much difference in how she dressed. It was almost always going to be skirts and blouses for her with the occasional tights. Giving herself another look over, she immediately popped the first two buttons of her blouse before she ventured further into the gym.

And there he was. Captain Steve Rogers. Captain America. Remy wasn't sure what to call him. Most everyone seemed to refer to him as Captain Rogers, but she occasionally heard some say Captain America. Well, she should probably be professional when approaching him, but at that moment he looked focused as he hit the punching bag, head low and arms stiff as he attacked. She bit down on her lip anxiously, clutching the file as she waited. How long should she even wait? She didn't want to make him angry if she interrupted him.

But then he gave the bag one good hit, sending it flying off the chain and into a wall. The filling came out of it, spilling across the floor. He straightened up, wiping his hand across his brow as he realized what he had done. Remy's mouth hung open in surprise. Shit. He _was_ strong. Not to mention he looked amazing for a man who had been preserved in ice for almost 70 years.

Well, now that he seemed to be finished for now, Remy cleared her throat and stepped into the light, giving him a polite clap.

"That was quite impressive, Captain."

* * *

**Closing Note: **Okay now we have reached the Avengers movie. After how many chapters. Wow.

Originally, Remy was never meant to meet the Avengers. But when I moved the story in a different direction, I decided to do this.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

Steve looked up when he heard her clearing her throat. He frowned as he turned to face her, not knowing who she was or if she was a threat or not. She certainly didn't look like a threat by the way she looked and held herself. He thought she could have been a teacher or librarian, something non-threatening by profession, but he had been deceived before and that was when he found out he had been asleep for all those years. Keeping an eye on her, he approached his gym bag as he began to unwrap his hands.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" He asked politely. She smiled and approached him.

"Yes, actually." She held the file out to him. "My name is Remy Black and I work for SHIELD. Director Fury asked me to speak to you about the Avengers Initiative." She looked at the remnants of the punching bag. "However, considering what just happened to that, I'm almost wondering if you'd prefer to be alone." Remy gave him a quick look over. "You been sleeping at all, Cap? You look exhausted."

He shrugged. "Slept for 70 years. I rested long enough." He tossed the wrappings into his bag. "When I went under, the world was at war. I wake up, they say we won." He paused and looked at her. "They didn't say what we lost."

Remy nodded. "Yea, mistakes were made, unfortunately. Even some recent ones."

"So, what are you here for, ma'am?" He asked, frowning. "There a reason Fury sent a pretty dame to talk to me?"

"Wow, Captain America called me pretty." She giggled. Steve raised an eyebrow and she straightened up. "Well, he says I'm charming, Captain, and that I'm going to be the one to talk to you about this current situation we're in."

Steve sighed. "Are you here with a mission?"

Remy handed the file over to him and he actually took it this time, flipping it open to read the first page. He frowned, glancing up from it to meet her gaze. She looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

"HYDRA's secret weapon."

"Yep." She replied with a sigh. "I guess Howard Stark fished it out of the water while he went looking for you after the crash. Apparently he thought what we think: which is that _that_ little cube right there, the Tesseract, could be the key to unlimited sustainable energy. Which is something the world sorely needs since we continuously fuck ourselves over with climate change and all that." Remy reached over and tapped the picture. "And it's missing."

Steve looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Who took it?"

"Some guy named Loki." Remy told him, shrugging. "He's not exactly from around here, so if you're up to this, let me know. I get to be the one who gets you up to speed on everything. The world has gotten stranger since you were down, Cap. It's like H.G. Wells's _War of the Worlds."_

Steve chuckled softly. "At this point, I doubt anything will surprise me, ma'am."

"Please, call me Remy, Captain." She insisted. "Everyone does."

"Very well, but call me Steve, all right?" He replied with a grin. "I'm not your Captain."

She smiled. "All right, Steve." Her phone buzzed and she looked at it. "So, there's a debriefing packet back at your apartment, and if you want, I'll come along and help you with it. There's some crazy things in there." She read the text before stuffing her phone back into her cardigan pocket. "Anything I should tell Fury about the Tesseract?"

Steve zipped up his bag and looked at her. "Tell him it should have been left in the water."

* * *

Aw shit. Coulson was going to kill her several times over now.

Remy was sitting on Steve's couch, sipping her caramel drink while he read over the debriefing packet beside her. He read it quietly to himself, his brow furrowed as he took in the information. Occasionally he'd glance up at her, silently asking for clarification on something, and Remy jumped in to try and explain it in terms that he could understand. It was a nice change for Remy to be in his apartment. She wasn't alone for one thing, and another thing was that Steve was good company. Surprisingly, Fury was fine leaving her with him before he left to do God knows what. It was Remy's job to make sure they got to the airfield on time, however. She figured she would be able to do that.

Eventually Steve closed the folder and set it on the coffee table, leaning back onto the couch with a sigh. Remy watched him, keeping quiet as she sipped her drink. He looked over at her. "So, you're an agent?"

Oh, she knew what he was about to say next.

"Because you don't look li-"

"Just because I didn't chase you down and tackle you doesn't mean I'm not an agent." She replied rather hotly, narrowing her eyes. "Yea, I heard what happened when you woke up. You took out about ten agents that day."

Steve looked embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I just... you're... I mean, a pretty dame, and... well..."

"Wow. The rumors are true then. You _are_ terrible at talking to women." She snapped, only to suddenly feel bad. He was a man out of time – a product of his era. He didn't mean anything by it, it was just a statement. Instead of flying off the handle and yelling at him, she took a deep breath and relaxed into the couch. "Okay, I'm sorry too. I just get that a lot because the idea of an agent is being thin and in shape and being able to kill someone with like, a paper clip. I'm none of those things, but I'm still an agent. I just do different work and have a unique skill."

"What's your unique skill?" Steve asked carefully, unsure if she would get mad again. Remy finished off her drink and set the empty cup on the coffee table.

"Photographic memory."

He raised an eyebrow and she grinned, looking over at the lone bookshelf he had. Her eyes scanned the titles before she pointed one out. "That one. _The Hobbit._ Turn to page 184."

"Very well..." Steve got up and retrieved the book, flipping through it until he came upon the page. "Okay, the ninth line down."

Remy closed her eyes for a moment, biting down on her lip before she took a deep breath and looked at him. "'_In this way at last Mr. Baggins came to a place where the trees on either hand grew thinner. He could see the paler sky between them. The dark river opened suddenly wide, and there it was joined to the main water of the Forest River flowing down in haste from the king's great doors._'"

He closed the book and put it away. "That's impressive, but that doesn't mean anything." There was a slight teasing tone to his voice.

"Ouch. Shot down by Captain America." Remy retorted playfully, giving him a grin. "I can recite a lot more, but I really don't want to bore you with _Death of a Salesman_ or _Everyman_. They get a little annoying after a while."

"No, no, that's fine." Steve replied as he put the book back. "I suppose I can believe you."

"Aw, thanks, Cap." She teased, rolling her eyes. "Now Captain America believes in me. Golly!"

Steve chuckled and returned to the couch. "What sort of things do you do with this memory of yours then?"

"Oh, everything." She said as she tucked her legs up under her, noticing how his cheeks pinked at the sight of the skin above her knees. Oh, if she didn't care so much about Clint she'd have been flirting with Steve the second she laid eyes on him. This was too adorable. She watched him as she lifted the hem of her skirt a bit, scratching at a patch of skin a few inches above her knee before pushing the fabric back down. She tried not to grin when his eyes followed the movement of her hand. "Oy, Cap. Eyes up here."

It was worth it to see him blush. "I'm listening."

"Right." This was too much fun. "Anyway, this will sound a bit weird to you, I'm sure, but uh, my memory is essentially a storage unit for information and all that. I can recall things from when I was a little girl, like the text from a book report I wrote or a brochure for a museum. Unfortunately, when you have a skill like this, people do like to abuse it."

"Oh?"

Remy looked over at him, chewing on her lip now. Shit. Should she tell him about the Chimera Order? This _was_ Captain fucking America after all. He fought HYDRA. He knew them. How would he react knowing that some militia was obsessed with them and formed their own spin off group? However, if he was going to work with SHIELD, he needed to know. And Remy knew the most about them over everyone; she had the most dealing with them. She and the Captain were almost connected in that sick way.

"Hey, Steve, can I get real with you real quick?" She asked; he looked a little confused by her choice of words so she backed up. "Sorry, okay, can we talk? About a real issue? Because this could affect you as much as it affects me, and it has affected me since I was a kid, and you are almost involved by default so I feel I need to tell you."

Steve watched her warily but nodded. She took a deep breath and started talking. "The Chimera Order. You probably aren't familiar with them at all because they are a militia group that has formed here in the States. When, I don't know, but what I do know is that they are obsessed with HYDRA. They want to _be_ HYDRA it seems." She paused, watching him for a reaction. He was keeping quiet, but she could see how tense the Captain had become, his fists clenching where they rested in his lap. She continued talking.

"My... father, and I use that title lightly, was one of their biggest financial supporters. He gave them money so they could buy weapons for this eventual... I don't know, take over? And because he didn't keep a paper trail, he used me to remember important numbers and information. He did this to me for 10 years, Steve, and during that time the Order grew in numbers, I guess."

"Have they done anything since then? Attacked people or anything?" He asked, frowning.

"A few weeks ago they bombed schools in the Salems across the country." She replied, biting her lip. "There's 21 cities in the country named Salem. They bombed elementary schools in all of them in the middle of the night. Children weren't killed, but guards and other workers were." Remy paused for a moment. "Before that they attacked a few more schools."

"Has SHIELD or anyone done something about them?" Steve asked, his tone changing. Remy wondered if this was his 'Captain America' voice she was hearing, because it sounded different from the Steve she had just been talking to before she brought up the Chimera Order.

"No, not really." She sighed. "After this mess, though, Fury wants too go after them. They, uh, want me. They're coming for me because of what I know and I dunno, but I'm guessing they must have had some trouble at one point because of what they're trying to do. I know things about them, like locations of their hideouts and... recipes for bombs. I don't know if they lost information after Robert Paterson was put away or what, but know I'm not really safe because I was nearly abducted a few days ago in broad daylight, and before that I was almost taken by Robert Paterson and his son."

"Robert Paterson?"

"Oh, right." Remy sighed, smoothing down her skirt. "That's uh, my father. Up until recently, it had been 12 years since I last saw him. I helped SHIELD arrest his ass when I was only 15 and I had kind of been in the custody of one of their agents ever since."

Steve nodded slowly, trying to let it all sink in. "Why are you telling me all of this?"

"Because of their HYDRA obsession." She sighed. "You fought HYDRA. You're probably one of the few people alive now who know what they were like and what they wanted. The Chimera Order might end up being the updated version of them, and I... I wanted to tell you because... I dunno. I figure at some point Fury will have told you, but I wanted to tell you because... I'm terrified."

He just nodded again, not speaking right away. They stared at each other from across the couch; Steve was sitting back against the armrest of the couch, watching her as he rested one arm across the back of the couch, the other resting in his lap. Remy kept her legs tucked under her as she tugged anxiously at the hem of her skirt, keeping her eyes on him. Steve took a deep breath and relaxed back into the couch, exhaling as he closed his eyes.

"I don't know what to really say in response to that." He began, keeping his eyes closed. "But HYDRA was destroyed when Schmidt died. If there are people out there trying to reinvent that organization, then they need to be stopped." He opened his eyes and looked right at her. "I'll talk to Fury about helping you out with this."

Well, that wasn't exactly what she was going with when she told him, but to have Captain America working with her somehow? Oh, Coulson was going to kill her out of jealousy for this. Remy didn't know what else to say, so she smiled at Steve and nodded. "Awesome, thanks."

* * *

**Closing Note**: So I was terrible and stole Fury's dialogue for that scene. I've probably mentioned it before, but Remy was never intended to meet the Avengers or be a part of this area of their story, so this is new but fun territory. And I wanted her to meet Steve because, hey, it's Captain fucking America and I think for her to get giggly around him is more fun than her and Tony flirting or bickering (which I can imagine those two doing for some reason). But I figured Steve would be the best bet because he does know what HYDRA is all about, whereas no one else really would understand what was going on with them crazy Chimera Order folks.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty-Three**

Steve rubbed Remy's back soothingly as they sat back on the jet. She had her head between her knees and was breathing into a paper bag, trying not to throw up or jump out into the water below. While she was clearly miserable, Steve was a little grateful to use her as a distraction, as Coulson had already rambled on about being a fan of him and watching him while he slept. It was obvious the other man was just excited and a little nervous to be around Steve, which was understandable, but the super soldier still wasn't used to it. Of course, back in the day, it was mostly children who were the big fans, as well as the occasional young woman.

"Here." Coulson grabbed a water bottle from a drawer and held it out to Steve. "This is normal of her, by the way, so try not to look so worried. Five years with the agency and she still isn't used to flying."

Steve nodded and unscrewed the cap, holding it out for Remy. She sat up long enough to take a few sips from it before ducking her head back down. He capped the bottle and went back to rubbing her back. "Is this helping at all?"

"It's comforting, if that's what you mean." She grumbled, keeping her eyes shut as she breathed into the bag again. "And shut up, Coulson. I'm getting better about it."

"True. You haven't thrown up the last few times you've flown." He reminded her as he took a seat opposite of them. "Sitwell said you managed not to jump out of the helicopter on your trip to New York."

"Okay, it wasn't a trip." Remy retorted, rubbing her face. "It was me getting threatened and shot at while he napped." She felt sweaty and her heart was racing. Why hadn't they landed yet? Steve's hand was still on her back and it was incredibly comforting for some reason, possibly because he wasn't trying to say anything to her to make her feel better about flying. She had confessed to him as they walked to the jet that she was terrified of flying but that she would do her best not to throw up on him. He just shrugged and went with it. "Are we there yet? I need off this thing."

Coulson glanced over at a satellite map. "Almost. Another couple of minutes."

She groaned and sat up, slumping back against Steve. "Throw me to the fishes. Please. That's all I ask."

Steve awkwardly put his arm around her, rubbing her shoulder. "It's going to be fine, Remy, really."

She just groaned and covered her face in response. In reality, it wasn't so much the flight that was upsetting her but that there was still no definitive answer on Clint's location. Coulson didn't know much more than she did, and while she managed to keep herself from crying in front of the two men, it was straining her nerves to keep it all together. Was Clint okay? What exactly was happening to him? And where the hell was he? Those questions kept her up all night while she camped in Steve's bed (he had taken the couch and insisted she take his bed for that night). Maybe she would be able to crawl into a corner somewhere for a quick power nap before they had to deal with all of this stuff. Hell, she wasn't even sure _what_ she would be doing on the helicarrier with them all. She couldn't work the computers on that flying ship, nor was she any use for anything else.

Remy glanced over at Coulson. He was watching her, concern on his face as the jet began to approach the helicarrier. She frowned and straightened up a bit in her seat, bracing herself for the landing. "Why am I coming along exactly?"

That question didn't seem to surprise him at all and she really wondered if he was psychic. "Fury doesn't want you out of his sight during this. There's no telling what could happen or who is working for Loki." Coulson replied, leaning back in his seat. "You could be in danger if you're not careful, and considering your luck lately, it's best that you stick by me or Hill until we have this problem solved."

"Oh, I can't wait." Remy sighed, gripping her knees as the jet began to land. She took a deep breath and shut her eyes, mentally waiting for the jet to miss its mark and just crash into a blazing ball of fire. Thinking like that really wasn't helping her keep calm and as the jet hit the deck, Remy grabbed onto Steve's hand, squeezing it tightly as the jet stopped, causing her to lurch forward a bit. The second they were given the all clear, she unbuckled herself and hurried off the jet. Steve looked over at Coulson who just shrugged as he grabbed Remy's bag.

"She'll be fine. Just give her a few minutes." Coulson said as they stepped off the jet and onto the deck. A red headed woman approached them, giving them both a smile.

"You all survived." She said, her attention turning to Remy who was spitting over the edge. "For the most part, at least."

"Captain Rogers, this is Agent Romanoff." Coulson said, gesturing to the woman. Steve shook her hand, nodding politely.

"They need you on the bridge, Coulson." Natasha told him. He nodded and excused himself, walking away from them. "And Black needs to go with you whenever she's done throwing up." She called after him. Remy heard that and turned to face Natasha, making a face.

"I wasn't throwing up." She retorted as she approached them. "I was just making sure I wasn't going too."

Natasha smirked. "Well, when you feel like you aren't going too, go meet them on the bridge."

Remy sighed and looked at Steve. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Be careful, Remy." He replied, frowning. She smiled wearily at him before heading in the direction Coulson went. Truthfully, the urge to throw herself into the ocean was growing. She didn't want to be on the helicarrier at all, because it went in the air. But it wasn't so much of a plane as it was a mobile base for SHIELD agents. If she just thought of it like that, she'd be fine, right?

She made her way through the halls and stairwells to the bridge. It was a mini command post with computers and agents everywhere. Remy found it pretty impressive as she walked in and claimed a seat at a round table in the back center. So far no one noticed her entrance, which was fine. She didn't want to draw attention to herself. She still didn't really get _why_ she was here, but given that everyone was on edge, she wasn't going to bring it up. She'd just do whatever Fury or Hill asked of her.

Hill finally did notice her after a few minutes and made her way over to the table. "Glad to see you made it in one piece, Agent Black."

"Heh, good to see you too, Agent Hill." Remy replied with a grin. "What would you like me to do first?"

"You will be working with Agent Sitwell." Hill replied, pointing to the other agent who was sitting at a set of computer monitors. "The system is searching the world for Loki right now by the use of cameras and security systems. The two of you will be monitoring them until they find him, understand?"

Remy nodded and made her way down to Sitwell. The two hadn't spoken since the prison incident, mostly because there was nothing to say. They nodded politely to one another as Remy took a seat, turning her attention to the screen. If they were looking for Loki, then there was a possibility they would find Clint just as easily. Sighing, she focused on one of the screens, eyes searching for anything out of the ordinary. Then again, she _was_ looking for some sort of demi-God. That wasn't ordinary at all.

* * *

It didn't take long to locate Loki. He was in Germany at some sort of gala. Steve and Natasha went to pick him up. While they were bringing him in, Remy went to give herself a few minutes peace somewhere on that damned helicarrier. It was quite difficult to find a secluded place considering how many people were on the boat, but after several minutes of searching she found a place. It was almost like a control room, but there was a large glass cell in it. She didn't take time to dwell on it as she moved into the room and slumped against the wall, sinking to the ground. Her mind was racing as she tried to process what had been going on.

The world was under threat by some demi-God. Clint and several other agents were under said demi-God's control. Remy couldn't help but shake the feeling of dread she had. _Something_ bad was going to happen, but she didn't know what. It was quite possible that it was nothing and that she was just being overly paranoid. Everything would be fine, though. They had been alerted that Loki _had_ been caught and that he was being brought onto the helicarrier. Wonderful. Remy wondered who was lucky enough to interrogate him.

She tried to relax and focus on her breathing. Yes, she was in the air right now, but she was doing wonderfully. The ride was incredibly smooth and so she didn't need to worry about turbulence or anything. All Remy had to do was whatever was needed, really, and now that Loki was found there would be something else she could do to help.

Whatever that was, Remy didn't have time to think of it before the doors opened to the room and Fury stepped in. He saw her but said nothing as he walked over to the controls. A moment later, Loki was escorted in and right into the windowed cell. He looked over at them all, giving them a polite smile as the handcuffs were removed. It was unnerving how... willing he was to be in there. There was no fighting the guards or anything. He just stood still and turned to face Fury once his hands were free.

"In case it's unclear," Fury began as he turned his attention to Loki. "if you try to escape, you so much as scratch that glass..." He touched a button on the control panel. "... it's a 30,000 feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works? Ant." He pointed to Loki, then back to the panel. "Boot."

Loki smiled, almost admiring the cell. "It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me."

"Built for something a lot stronger than you." Fury replied with a shrug. Remy glanced at the Director then at the cell. That thing was meant to contain the Hulk?

Again, Loki smiled. "Oh, I've heard." He glanced at Remy and she finally got to her feet, pressing herself against the wall. His stare was unnerving and when he finally looked back at Fury she breathed a sigh of relief. "The mindless beast makes play he's still a man." He studied Fury for a moment, eyes flickering back to Remy briefly. "How desperate are you that you call on lost creatures to defend you?"

"How desperate are _you _to enslave innocent people with mind control?" Remy suddenly asked, glaring at him. "What, can't convince anyone to join your little team?"

"Agent Black." Fury suddenly said, startling her. She continued to glare at Loki, but she went quiet. The Director shook his head and looked back at Loki. "How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You talk about peace, but you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me _very_ desperate." He glanced over at Remy, who was still keeping quiet, before he looked back at the prisoner. "You might not be glad that you did."

Loki smirked. "Ooo. It _burns_ you to have come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power – _unlimited_ power. And for what?" He looked between the two agents again before his attention settled back on Fury. "A warm light for all mankind to share. And then to be reminded what real power is."

Fury rolled his eye and tapped something on the control panel before he started to leave. "Well, let me know if 'real power' wants a magazine or something." He glanced over at Remy. "Let's go, Agent Black."

She glanced at Fury briefly before she took a step toward the cell. She wanted to ask Loki where Clint was, or was he even still alive? But the way he was looking at her – that cold, calculating stare, as though he was figuring her out – it startled her. Shaking herself, she tore her attention away from the demi-God and hurried after Fury, keeping silent. Once they were out in the hallway and alone, she hunched over, putting both hands on her knees to keep herself balanced.

"Black?" Fury tried, raising an eyebrow. She gave him a thumbs up, breathing heavily as she shut her eyes. Once her head stopped spinning she straightened up and looked at him.

"That... whatever he is. He's no good." She said, shaking her head. "It... I... I felt like I was back in that interrogation room with Hill and Paterson. That look he gave me, it's not new to me. The one where someone is looking into your mind and figuring you out." Remy looked back at the door, swallowing hard. "It's unnerving, Director. He... shouldn't be on board."

"Loki isn't your concern, Agent Black." Fury replied as they headed to the bridge. "I suggest you go get something to eat, however, because you look ready to pass the hell out. And we're on heightened alert right now so that's the last thing we need from our agents, understand?"

Remy nodded, glancing back toward the door again. "Yes sir."

"Good. Now get going and return to the bridge when you're done refueling yourself."

The two walked down the hallway together before coming to an intersection. Fury went one way, Remy the other, and she walked a bit, glancing behind her, and when the Director was out of sight, she doubled back and headed to the room Loki was being held in.

* * *

**Closing Note: **Yea. So she's seen Loki now. And is really trying not to have a complete meltdown over anything and everything. Remy was never trained for this sort of thing. She was honestly just meant to be a desk clerk, so she's acting how I imagine anyone in her situation would act: Snarky and trying not to panic to much.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty-Four**

Loki smiled at her when she walked in and her heart started racing. Shit, shit, _shit _why did she think this was a good idea? He could manipulate her and get her to release him, then she'd be fucked over. But... she wanted to know about Clint. She _needed_ to know about him because she was worried. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders before approaching the cell.

"You're Barton's girl, aren't you." It was more of a statement than a question. Remy raised an eyebrow.

"What makes you say that?" She asked, trying to tread carefully around him. She couldn't let her guard down around him because what she was doing was _incredibly_ stupid. Her conscience was screaming at her to just turn and walk out of that damn room already, but she ignored it. She needed to know if Clint was okay. "C'mon, speak up. I haven't got all day."

He looked her over, almost studying her, before he responded to her. "Barton told me everything about you, even your name, Rosemary."

She tensed up, but she had to remind herself not to rise to the bait. Oh how she wanted to scream at him, throw things at the cell, tell him to basically _Fuck Off. _But she needed to keep herself grounded to keep from doing something incredibly stupid. "That is one name of mine, yes, but he calls me Remy." She told him. "Just like everyone else."

"Well, Rosemary, I'm not everyone else." Okay, now he _was_ trying to get a rise out of her. Remy took a few deep breaths, watching him as she thought about what else to say.

"How is Clint?" She asked, hoping to steer the conversation away from her. "Is he okay? That's the only reason I'm here. I want to know if my boyfriend is okay."

"Agent Barton is... functioning, if that's what you're asking." Loki replied, looking her up and down. He was studying her again, like he was looking for a weak spot. "I don't see why you're so concerned about him. It's not as though you love each other."

She raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure you are in no place to talk about love between people. I get the feeling you weren't hugged enough as a child, is that the case here?"

"From what Barton told me about you, I'm pretty certain you aren't either." He said, still smiling. God, that smile of his was so unnerving. "You don't know how to love because no one has ever loved you."

"Wait, is that supposed to get a rise out of me?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow. "Because it won't. I love that idiot, yes, and I never had the best examples of what love is, but I know I love him because of what Disney movies taught me. So just tell me if he's okay."

Loki chuckled, shaking his head. "You don't stop, do you?"

"It's one of my many charming traits." She retorted. "Tell me or I will accidentally lean into this control panel here and drop you." She glanced at the panel. "Fury said 30,000 feet... now, I'm no good at math or science or anything like that, but I imagine you'd be traveling awfully fast and flipping around in that thing like a deranged hamster ball. You'll probably be dead or something before you hit the ground." She looked back at Loki. "I'm really curious about what happens. Like I said, I'm not good at math or science, so let's experiment. I think this is called scientific method?" She frowned. "I hypothesize that you will be turned to pancake batter by the time you hit the earth."

"You wouldn't." Loki said, no longer smiling. "Not when your people fought so hard to capture me."

Remy shrugged, fingers ghosting over the controls. "Yea, but you know what you need to do? I'm asking you _one_ question and you're being a real asshole in not telling me what I want."

"And what do you really want to know?"

"Oh my God." She groaned. "Barton. The guy you mind fucked. Alive? Dead? Injured? I just want to know and then I'm gonna leave you alone, okay?"

Loki licked his lips slowly, watching her. She wouldn't send him down like that, not when she wanted to know about Clint. He smiled suddenly, giving her a polite nod. "You'll be seeing him soon."

"You ass-"

"_Agent Black, report to the bridge immediately."_

Aw shit. She was caught. Grumbling, she moved her hand away from the console and started for the door. She looked back at the prisoner once more. He was still watching her and smiling. What she would give to reach over and slap that look off his face.

"Clint better be in one piece, you know." She said, trying to sound threatening.

"Or you'll do what?"

"I don't know what I'll do." Remy shrugged. "I'll bore you to death while I recite poetry or something, how about that? I know some crazy things, man. Just better hope Clint is in one piece."

And with that, she left. Her nerves were shot. Why did she do that? She didn't gain anything, not to mention she was probably going to get into serious trouble for that. But at that point, she couldn't be bothered to care. She made her way to the bridge, mentally preparing herself for the reprimand that was sure to come from Fury or Coulson. There were certainly security cameras in that room, and it was certain that someone knew she was in there.

She came upon the bridge, passing by Dr. Banner and – _oh god that was Tony Stark_. Her mouth hung open as he walked by, because damn he was even more good looking in person than on magazine covers and television. She didn't have time to linger on that thought because she bumped into Steve next. Embarrassed, she looked up at the super soldier.

"Sorry, Steve!" She said, cheeks red as she smiled at him. "Didn't see you there. Got distracted."

"I'm fine, but are you okay?" He asked, frowning. "We saw the feed. You were talking to Loki. Why?"

Remy shrugged and walked passed him. "Because I just needed to know if Clint and everyone was okay."

"Did you get the answers you wanted?"

"Ugh, no." She shook her head. "He's an asshole. And he makes me incredibly uneasy. I don't even know _why_ I went in there by myself. I just... I don't know. I'm an idiot."

Steve shrugged. "You're just concerned, but I wouldn't suggest doing that again. We don't know what Loki's playing at just yet, so keep away from him."

Oh, she wanted to make an inappropriate comment to him about how she liked him being in control like that, but she resisted. Instead, Remy just nodded and made her way to Coulson and Thor. Both were looking out one of the large windows of the bridge. Sighing, Remy came up to Coulson's side and nudged him with her elbow.

"So, what's going on exactly?"

He looked at her and shrugged. "Just waiting it out. Stark and Dr. Banner are trying to locate the Tesseract's location right now."

Remy nodded. "You never told me Stark was that handsome, Phil. I'm angry at you." Only she really wasn't. She was grinning as she said that.

"Clearly. There was a reason I never told you much about him." He rolled his eyes before looking at the Norse God standing beside him. "Thor, this is Agent Black. She also works for SHIELD."

She looked over at him and smiled. Damn. Curse all of these attractive people. She held her hand out to Thor for a handshake, but instead he took her hand and kissed the top of it. "I'm sorry we have to meet under such circumstances, Miss Black."

"Oh, well, it's fine. I'm sure we'll end up meeting again somehow." She grinned, her face reddening. That voice. _Holy mother of God._ Not to mention his arms and chest and his everything. Why, why were this many attractive people on this Avengers team?

Fury interrupted her thoughts as he approached them to talk to Thor. "You think you could make Loki tell us where the Tesseract is?"

Thor dropped Remy's hand and looked up. "I do not know." He replied with a sigh. "Loki's mind is a far field. It's not just power he craves, it's vengeance. Upon me." He glanced back at Remy and Coulson before looking back at Fury. "There's no pain would prise his need from him."

"A lot of guys think that." Fury retorted. "Until the pain starts."

"What... are you asking me to do?" Thor asked cautiously.

Fury leaned forward. "I'm asking what are _you_ prepared to do?"

"Loki is a prisoner." The other man replied, frowning.

"Then why do I feel that he's the only person on this boat that wants to be here?"

Remy muttered something under her breath, looking back out the window. It was dark now, making it impossible to see the ground or ocean below. It was weird for Remy to see this. To be this high up and looking out without that feel of panic in her system. It had to be that she was just stressed out from the whole ordeal to allow her fear of flying to take over her.

"Something you'd like to share with the class, Agent Black?" Came Fury's unimpressed voice. That shook Remy from her thoughts and she looked to the three men watching her.

"What?"

"I asked if there was anything you wanted to share." Fury repeated, looking more annoyed with her than usual. Probably had something to do with her having a chat with Loki. She looked a bit sheepish, scratching the back of her head before looking back to the view.

"Well. Sure, okay." She sighed. "No one really wants to be on here because of what being on here means. As you say, Director, the world _is_ at war. That's why we're on this flying boat. No one wants that, hence no one wants to be here." She looked back at the Director. "Loki must have a reason for being so content in being here, you know? I mean, he didn't put up much of a fight to be placed in that cell. I saw. I never saw him attempt anything. He just... accepted his fate, as though it was part of... I dunno, a plan?" She looked at Thor. "Why would he come... almost willingly here?"

Thor shook his head. "Perhaps he knew there was no chance of escape once I caught him."

"Probably..." Remy didn't say much after that. She glanced up at the Director. "Sir, what would you like me to do next? I assume it's going to be something terrible as a punishment for speaking to the prisoner, which is something I never plan to do again."

Okay, she wasn't to fond of that small smirk on Fury's face.

* * *

Remy stared down at her phone, texting the sitter about how it might be a couple of days but she was happy to pay the woman several hundred dollars for this. She had the joy of sitting in the lab while the two scientists talked on and on about, well, sciencey stuff. She had no clue _what_ they were saying half of the time, but apparently this was punishment for talking with Loki. Having to endure science jargon and the occasional flirtatious comment from Tony Stark was enough to drive her crazy. Any other day she would have flirted right back at him, but right now, being so worried about what was going on, he was starting to get on her last nerve.

"Hey, Agent, stop sending nudes and come over here." Tony said, pulling a bag of blueberries from _somewhere_. She had no idea where and she didn't want too. Sighing, Remy got up and wandered over to him.

"What can I do for you, Stark?" She asked, looking as unimpressed as she sounded. He gave her a wicked grin, pulling a blueberry from the package. "And if you so much as try to throw a blueberry down my shirt, I will throw you out that window."

He tossed it into his mouth, smirking at her as he pointed to the screen. "You seem tense. Is it because your boyfriend is one of Loki's puppets?"

"Stark." Remy glared at him.

"What? It's a harmless question." Tony replied with a shrug as he popped another blueberry into his mouth.

"Keep doing your job, Stark." Remy sighed, shaking her head. "I'm supposed to be here to make sure that's all you do."

"Yea, you're not really good at your job." He said as he tapped at one of the screens. "So, do you have some sort of skill that makes you a super agent or something?"

Remy closed her eyes and counted to ten before she responded. "Yes. I have a photographic memory."

Both scientists looked up. And in reality, Remy was grateful that Tony didn't say something about her 'not looking like an agent' or whatever. Bruce frowned. "That's... not common in adults. Unless it's nurtured through childhood, that sort of skill is unheard of."

"Right, well, daddy dearest thought he hit the jackpot when he discovered he didn't need to keep paper files because darling daughter was like his own personal computer." She said dryly. "Y'know, a human hard drive."

"Okay, I'd love to study you, Hard Drive." Tony said as he took a step toward her, grinning. "It'd be interesting to see how your brain works, you know?"

"You do know I'm not a robot, Stark?" Remy retorted. "And no to studying. Whether scientifically or sexually, because I have a boyfriend who I'd prefer to do that with, all right? Were I single, sure, go for it. But the answer is no."

"So, you remember things... like what?" Bruce asked, catching Remy's attention. "What sort of things do you remember with this?"

"Word documents. Bank statements. Anything with words or numbers, really." She shrugged. "Also events from time to time." She suddenly snatched the package of blueberries from Tony's hand, poured out a handful, and passed it back to him before she wandered back over to the desk. "If you boys are done sciencing at me, I'm going to sit back down and look at pictures of cute cats or something."

* * *

**Note: **I feel in another story, Tony and Remy would be like, BFFs. And probably with Loki as well.

Your guys' kind reviews honestly give me life. Thank you so much!


	35. Chapter 35

**Author's Note: **Uh. Spoiler for "The Avengers" (2012) film...? Character death?

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Five**

Remy had just chucked her last blueberry at Tony when Fury stormed in. Oh, he looked pissed. She tried to slouch down into her chair to be out of sight but he spotted her. He took several menacing steps towards her.

"Your job was to keep Stark out of trouble, Agent Black." The Director growled.

Remy stared at him, looking confused. "And... I have been?" She replied, looking between Tony and the Director. "Aw, fuck, he hacked something, didn't he? I can't stop that sort of stuff! I thought it was more like 'don't let him bring agents in here to screw' or something!"

Fury looked like he was going to yell at her, but instead turned his attention to Tony. "What are you doing, Mr. Stark?"

"Uh, kind of been wondering the same thing about you." Tony replied with a shrug. Fury sighed in frustration.

"You're supposed to be locating the Tesseract!" Fury snapped.

"We are!" Bruce insisted. "The model's locked and we're sweeping for the signature now. When we get the hit we'll have the signature within half a mile."

"Okay, see, at least one of them has been doing their job." Remy retorted, gesturing to Bruce. "So SHIELD will get the cube back, good."

"Yea, you'll get your cube back." Tony informed them. "No mas, no fuss." He turned one of the computer screens around suddenly. Remy's eyes widened when she saw what was on there. "Hey, what is Phase Two?"

Remy looked at Fury, who looked back at her. Neither of them said anything until the sound of something heavy hitting a desk startled them. Steve was standing there, not looking very happy.

"Phase Two is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons." He told them angrily, looking at all four of them. "Sorry. Computer was moving a little too slow for me."

She looked back at Fury, then to the weapon, then back at Fury. He was trying his best not to lose his temper at all of them. Before he could speak, Remy jumped up. "You have those things on board this boat? Are you mad?!"

"Agent Black-"

"No, oh _hell _no." She snapped, glaring at him. "Bad enough you were making them and that I had to know about it, but _now_ they're on board here? What the hell, Fury?"

Steve looked at her. "You knew about these?"

"Yes! I did, okay? And I'm just as pissed as you are because if the Chimera Order or any other SHIELD enemy finds out that these things truly exist, then we're all fucked." She continued, glaring at Fury. "This is not good, sir, and you know it. If they get their hands on these weapons we're done for."

Fury glared at her before turning to Steve. "Rogers, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract, so this does not mean that we-"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nick." Tony interrupted, gesturing to another computer screen. This one showed more schematics – specifically of a missile. "What were you lying?"

Steve shook his head, looking between Remy and Fury. The two SHIELD agents looked back at the super soldier, neither saying anything to him. Sighing, he looked back at the screen. "I was wrong. The world hasn't changed a bit."

"Now, Steve-" Remy tried to explain but he cut her off.

"You knew this was going on while you cried to me about the Chimera Order." Steve snapped, glaring at her. Remy stared at him, surprised by his tone.

"Wait, no, well, yes, I did know about these." She told him, pointing at the weapon. "I knew because Fury wanted me to know, but did I know they would be on this boat? Hell no! I'm just as pissed as you are, so don't turn on me because of what SHIELD is doing!" She rubbed her face. "Dear God. This is all ridiculous. No, you know what, you guys fight it out or whatever it is you do. I'm not a part of this in _any_ way. I'm just a stupid agent who got thrown into this mix, so if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a way to the deck to throw myself overboard. Goodbye."

* * *

That exit was almost Oscar worthy had Remy not fumbled with the door latch on her way out. But once she was free of the room, she held her head high and headed back to the bridge. What the hell was getting into her? This wasn't really like her, but then again, things were changing. She was on some group's shit-list. There were aliens about to invade the world. And there were two Norse legends in the same fucking flying contraption as her. Not to mention her boyfriend – who she told one of those Norse legends that she _loved him_ – was a puppet to that damn trickster who was hell-bent on destroying the world. Her day was getting worse and worse and she was wondering if she was going to still have a job with SHIELD after all of this.

No, she would. After this she'd apologize profusely to Fury for her actions and then make it up to him by doing whatever it is he ordered her to do. Maybe make him some cookies as well.

Sighing, Remy was about to enter the bridge when the helicarrier suddenly shook violently, jerking to one side. She flew into a wall, trying desperately to catch herself on one of the railings. That... that wasn't normal. Scrambling to her feet, she rushed to the bridge. Hill and Coulson were there, barking orders at everyone. When he saw her stumble onto the bridge, Coulson approached her, pushing a handgun into her hand. Aw, shit. The look on his face told her it was serious, so she bit back any comment as she tucked the gun into the back of her pants. Thankfully she remembered how to use it and to keep the safety on.

She went to one of the computers, staring at the lines of code that were flashing across the screen. The ship was damaged. She could hear Sitwell shouting about what was no longer working and her stomach dropped. They were going to drop from the sky if they couldn't fix the problem. She got up and hurried to Coulson. "What do we do?"

Before he could reply, Fury rushed in to see what had happened. He started barking orders, taking control of the situation. Remy just stood there in shock, almost shutting down. This was a situation she never dreamed herself being in.

"Remy!" Coulson was shaking her now. "Don't, you need to focus, understand?"

She nodded mutely, staring wide eyed at the chaos around her. She needed to say something, and she tried, opening and closing her mouth a few times. But then Hill shouted something – grenade? - and an explosion rocked the bridge. Debris hit Remy and Coulson as they ducked out of the way. Shit, the bridge was under attack? What was going on? Without speaking, Coulson grabbed her by the hand and led her down a staircase near some of the consoles. She didn't say anything, clutching his hand tightly as they rushed down a hall.

They came upon the armory. Coulson let go of her hand and entered a code into a door before it did a retinal scan. Remy stared as the door opened and he grabbed hold of a large weapon.

"What the-"

"No time." He muttered before he headed back down the hall. She retrieved the gun from the back of her pants and followed after him, though she wasn't sure she could fire it if the situation called for it. Remy followed Coulson as he headed down a hallway, and when they came upon a familiar door, she froze. They were going to Loki? Why?

Coulson went in first, knocking out an agent that had been helping Loki. Remy followed in after, gun raised.

"Move away, please." Coulson said politely, aiming the gun at Loki. The demi-God stepped away from the control console, smiling as he looked between the two agents and Thor. Remy's eyes widened when she saw that Thor was in the cell.

"Shit..." She murmured, looking back at Loki. "This... this can't be good."

"You like this?" Coulson held the gun up, smiling a bit. "We just started working on the prototype after you sent the Destroyer." He shrugged, flipping a switch on the weapon. "Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?"

He suddenly grunted in pain. Remy turned her attention away from Loki to look at Coulson. The pointed tip of Loki's scepter was sticking out of Coulson's chest. She screamed, clutching her gun tighter. He dropped to the ground, slumping against the wall. She turned to aim her gun at the real Loki, eyes wide and her hands shaking.

"What did you do?!" She screamed as Thor pounded on the glass of the cell. "Why, why?!"

Loki merely smiled as he lowered the scepter. He took a step toward her, arm moving fast and she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her side. He had fucking stabbed her. Remy clutched her side, pulling out a funny looking dagger. He made his way over to the console and hit a few buttons. She looked at him, then at the cell. Before anyone could react, the claws gripping the cell released and Thor disappeared.

Remy scooted herself next to Coulson, trying to take her shirt off. "Gotta... gotta stop the bleeding." She whimpered, ignoring the pain in her side. Blood had already stained her shirt from her own injury, but she didn't care. Coulson was dying right next to her. She couldn't let that happen. She bunched the shirt up and pressed it against his chest. "Phil!"

He coughed weakly, his attention on Loki. "You're going to lose."

"Phil, please, don't talk." Remy whimpered, keeping pressure on the wound. There was so much blood.

Loki smirked, taking a step towards the two injured agents. "Am I?"

"It's in your nature." Coulson choked out, feeling himself growing tired. The shirt was turning dark from his blood and it was taking all of Remy's strength not to scream and throw herself at Loki. She wanted to throw him over the ledge and down the chute that took Thor. Maybe then he'd get rid of that smirk.

"Your heroes are scattered." Loki snarled. "Your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?"

"You lack conviction." Was the weak reply. Loki narrowed his eyes and started towards them now.

"I don't think I-"

He was cut off by the large gun going off, blasting him through the opposite wall. Remy had covered her ears when it went off, startled by the sudden noise. Coulson dropped the weapon, leaning back into the wall. "Huh. So that's what it does."

"Stop, just stop talking, please!" Remy whimpered as she returned to pressing the blouse against his wound. It just wasn't helping at all and she could feel herself growing frustrated. "Phil, what do I do? Phil, please!"

"Remy." Coulson looked down at the injury, wincing. "Well, this isn't the worse injury I've had, you know." He managed a weak chuckle; she started crying harder. "Remember when you spilled that bowl of soup on me?"

"Shut up and stop bleeding, please!" She begged, looking desperately for something else to hold against his wound. Her own injury was bleeding, soaking through her camisole. Coulson reached up slowly, touching it gently. She cried out, jerking away from him.

"Remy, you're injured..."

"Coulson, Black!" Fury rushed into the room, dropping in front of Coulson. Remy looked down at her own hands, seeing how much of Coulson's blood were on them. Shaking her head, she pressed them now to her own wound.

"I'm sorry, boss." Coulson coughed. "The guy rabbited."

"Just stay awake." Fury ordered. "Eyes on me."

Remy let go of her injury, ignoring the pain as she grabbed Coulson's hand. "You need to stay awake, Phil, please! You have too!"

Coulson shook his head slowly. "No, I'm clockin' out here."

She looked at the Director. His face was expressionless as he stared as one of his top agents lay there dying. "Director, you need to do something! Please!"

Fury glanced at her momentarily before looking back at Coulson. "Not an option, Coulson."

"It's okay, boss." He gave them both a weak smile. Remy squeezed his hand, tears rolling down her cheeks as it dawned on her what was happening. No, this wasn't going to happen. It couldn't happen. "This was never going to work if they didn't have something to..."

He didn't finish his sentence as he suddenly went limp against the wall, eyes lifeless and staring straight ahead. Remy's eyes widened and she dropped his hand, wrapping her arms around him as she began sobbing. This couldn't be happening. He wasn't ever supposed to die. He was Phil fucking Coulson.

"Agent Coulson is down." Fury said, pausing for a moment as several medics rushed in. One pulled Remy back to tend to her wounds while the others saw to Coulson. "They're already here."

"Let... let me go! I have to be with him!" Remy cried, trying, and failing, to get free of the medic. "He's... he's..."

The medic working on Coulson looked at her, then at Fury, shaking his head. Remy felt her heart stop as Fury stood up, looking down at her. "They called it."

* * *

**Closing Note**: I don't think I wrote this last scene very well. I don't know how to really react when someone dies, I guess, and so it was hard to know how Remy would react, so of course crying and screaming was the first thing that came to mind.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty-Six**

Steve entered the infirmary room, wincing when he saw that Remy was strapped down. She looked up at him, eyes red and skin pale as she took him in. Her camisole had long been removed and was replaced by a generic SHIELD t-shirt that hung loosely on her plump frame. Fury had told them what had happened, and after making a plan with Tony, the super soldier went to check on her first.

"They think I'm gonna hurt myself." She murmured weakly, jerking her wrists against the restraints. "I'm not gonna, though, so can you untie me, Steve? And where's Clint? Is he okay?"

"One thing at a time, Remy." He replied. Against his better judgment, he did remove the restraints from her wrists. No one told him that she was a risk and he felt these were a little overkill. The moment she was free, Remy sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, standing shakily on her two legs. He immediately grabbed her under her shoulder, trying to keep her standing up right. "You really need to stay still. I heard it was a nasty stab wound."

"Fuck that." She snapped hoarsely. It was clear she had done nothing but cry since being patched up a few hours ago. And she really shouldn't have been moving so soon, but she was determined to see Clint if he was on board. "I need to see him. Where's Clint?"

"You need to calm down first." Steve told her, looking down at her. "If the nurses come in and find that I've let you go, I'm in for a world of hurt."

"Clint." She whimpered. "Please. I need to see if he's okay, Steve. Please."

Steve sighed. "He's in the room across from you."

"Then why are we still standing here?" She snapped, trying to pull away to head to the door.

Rolling his eyes, Steve kept a firm grasp on her as he helped her out of the room. The door to the next room opened and he was a bit surprised to see Natasha sitting there. She looked up at the two, eyes sweeping over Remy's before she looked back at the bathroom door. Clint stepped out a moment later, drying his hands on a towel. He froze when he saw Remy, surprised to see her there.

Natasha stood up suddenly and looked at Steve. "Outside. Give them a few minutes."

He nodded, almost hesitantly, before following the assassin out of the room. Remy took a step towards him, but her legs seemed to stop working and she stumbled. Clint was fast, catching her before she hit the ground and pulling her upright.

"What the hell are you doin' here?" He asked gruffly, wrapping his arms around her. "You shouldn't even be on this boat."

"Shut up, please." She whimpered, burying her face in his chest, taking a few deep breaths. It was such a relief to be in his arms after what all had happened in the last few days. Remy looked up at him, eyes filling with tears. She choked back a sob, tightening her arms around him. "You're alive, right? This isn't a fucked up dream?"

"I'm alive, really." Clint chuckled softly, tightening his grip. She let out a whimper and he pulled back, looking down at her. "Are you injured? What happened to you, Remy?"

She kept one hand on him as the other lifted up her shirt, showing the wound on her side. Blood was already seeping through the bandage. "Loki. When... when he got... Ph-" She couldn't finish the sentence before tears began rolling down her cheeks. "Oh my God, what's going to happen, Clint?"

Clint pulled her back into his arms, being mindful of her injury as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Hey, listen, it's going to be okay. Just... just stay here. Stay in your room and when it's all over, I'll come back for you, okay? I promise."

Remy nodded, clinging to him for a bit longer. "I love you, okay?"

He didn't hide the surprised look on his face. "Re-"

"No, I do, okay, and this made me realize this so maybe it's stupid to say it right now, but don't say anything just because you're off to fight aliens." She wiped her eyes. "So when you come back maybe I'll say it again if you want, but just know that I love you."

Before Clint could reply, the door opened again. Steve and Natasha were standing there. "It's time to go."

"Wait, where too?" Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll tell you on the way." Steve replied. "Can either of you fly one of those jets?"

"I can." Clint replied with a nod. Steve looked at Natasha. She nodded, confirming what the archer was saying.

"You got a suit?" The Captain asked.

Clint nodded again. "Yea."

"Then suit up."

"Can I at least kiss him goodbye?" Remy asked dryly. Steve gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to Clint. The kiss was quick and barely noticeable, but she needed it. She reached up to run her fingers through his hair. "Don't do stupid stuff, Robin Hood."

He grinned slightly and kissed her forehead. "No promises. Now go back to your room, Remy."

And with that, he followed his teammates out of the door. Sighing, Remy made her way back to her own room across the hall, laying back on the bed, sans the restraints. She just hoped no one else died in this foolish battle.

* * *

It felt like hours had gone by as Remy lay there in the bed. The only people to check on her were the nurses on staff to change her bandages or give her some pain medication. It was frustrating to be there, but in reality, she was useless in this sort of situation. She couldn't fight, work the computers, or fire a gun. Hell, she could throw the gun if needed, but that was it. Thankfully the threat had been removed from the helicarrier, but to know that the bigger threat was down on the ground and attacking the city? Way worse. One of the nurses had managed to give her information on what was going on and it made Remy feel even more terrified.

And then there was Coulson. He was likely in a body bag somewhere in this place. The thought sickened her and she couldn't believe he died right in front of her. In the hours since he died, she had cried several times, but for the most part just laid there on the bed, replaying the scene in her mind, wondering what the outcome would have been if something different had happened, like if they were just a few seconds later, would Coulson still be alive? Or if she had been the one carrying the big ass weapon, would Loki have taken her out instead, leaving Coulson mourn but carry on as an agent? She was standing right next to him when the scepter was shoved through his chest. Why didn't Loki use it on her instead? Why use the puny dagger and not take her out as well? It wasn't fair. Coulson was the better agent. He should still be alive and kicking ass while she was zipped up in a body bag.

But there was nothing she could do now.

Remy rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before closing her eyes. It was weird doing this, but her mind began searching for something. She read something recently about bringing someone back from the dead, but it could have been just a story she read. But it had been so scientific and medical in nature that it wasn't just a story. Was it... no, wait. Her eyes flew open and she scrambled off the bed, swearing as the pain medication seemed to turn her legs into jelly, causing her to collapse onto the floor. This wouldn't do, but she needed to find Fury or Hill and tell them. Maybe the information could somehow save Coulson.

Except that chance wouldn't come then. Two nurses came in at that moment and forced her back into the bed. They ignored her protests, saying that she was being taken off the helicarrier and back to the Triskelion, and that the battle was over so they needed to get the injured and dead back safely. If the battle was over, that meant she would see Clint soon, right? She prayed to whatever God was out there that he and the rest of the team would be safe and uninjured, and that this was truly all over. She couldn't handle this anymore.

The nurses kept her on the bed as they checked her over before one went off to grab a wheelchair. They then wheeled it from the room and down the hall to the deck with Remy sitting in it, though she was tempted to run off to find Fury and escape from the nurses. There was an awaiting quinjet there with several injured agents already on board. None of them spoke to her as she was helped from the bed and placed into a seat toward the front. It was fine by Remy. She didn't want to speak to any of them either, and the further from the door the better for her, lest she tried something stupid.

Nothing was going to return to normal now, especially with Coulson gone. Remy stared down at her hands as the jet started up to get ready to take off. Everything changed way to fast for her to absorb it.

* * *

"I do _not_ need a babysitter." Remy hissed as Brock followed her to her car.

"_You_ do not get a say in the matter." He retorted as he quickened his pace, snatching her keys from her hand before approaching her car. "Doctor said you shouldn't drive while you're on your medication, nor should you be left alone."

"I'm an adult who can take care of herself, dammit!" She snapped, trying to get her keys back. Brock rolled his eyes and held them above her head. She tried to make a grab for them only to recoil in pain. Okay, that was not a smart move.

"Get in your car. I'm driving you to your apartment." He ordered as he opened the car door for her. "This is only for a few days, okay?"

"Only until Clint gets released, right? And then you're gone." She grumbled as she carefully climbed into the passenger's seat of her car.

"Right, whenever that is." Brock replied as he rolled his eyes, shutting the door after her before going around to the driver's side. "I'll take that awful couch unless I can sleep on the floor."

"Go ahead. Lucky might even share his bed with you." Remy shot back, holding her side once she was buckled in. "Fuck, this hurts. Everything hurts and I'm ready for this to be over." She turned to look at him. "Seriously, a babysitter. Why?"

"Fury also ordered that you have protective detail." He replied as he started the car up and drove out of the garage. "And until Barton is cleared for duty you're stuck with me." Brock glanced at her and smirked. "Unless you want Rollins. He's a lot less friendly than me, sweetheart."

"If it was Rollins, he would have said fuck it and let me drive home on my own." Remy snapped, glaring at him. "And don't call me sweetheart."

"Rollins would have thrown you in the trunk." Brock said with a grin. "You're lucky to have me, so stop complaining. Fury is convinced that the Chimera Order freaks are ready to attack _now_ given what just happened, so he's being cautious. And with Coulson dead, you're alone in that apartment, so just stop complaining and enjoy having a body guard, okay?"

Remy went quiet at the mention of Coulson, looking back down at her hands. It had been two days already and she still could recall every detail of the scene. From entering the room to Loki stabbing him, all the way up to Fury looking at her as he told the crew that the medics 'called it'. It kept her up at night as it replayed in her mind over and over again. She managed a few minutes of sleep here and there, but for the most part she kept awake, refusing to remember that.

Brock glanced over at her, noticing how quiet she became. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

She didn't respond as she stared at her hands. They felt sticky and wet, like they were covered in blood. _His_ blood. Remy had never seen so much blood before and she never expected she'd see Coulson's. Her heart started racing and her palms felt sweaty. Instinctively she began rubbing her palms on her pants, trying to dry them off. It didn't seem to work. It felt like the blood was still there.

"Hey, hey!" Brock was talking to her now, reaching over and grabbing her hand. "Remy, come back to me."

She jerked her head to look at him. "What?"

"You zoned out there for a moment." He replied warily, looking her over as he let go of her hand. "We're almost to your apartment."

"Oh."

"Yea, oh." He pulled up to a parking spot on the street. "I was thinking of picking up some food from that diner on the corner. Is that okay? You probably need to eat food with all the shit the doctor's given you."

She shrugged. "Whatever works. You're the babysitter so you call the shots."

"Okay, stop referring to me as the babysitter. It sounds weird."

Remy leaned back in her seat, looking thoughtful. "Gee. I use to let the babysitter fuck me. That does sound weird."

"Hey!"

"Go get me a fucking burger, fries, and the biggest coke they have, _babysitter_." Remy ordered, pointing down to the diner. "I'll wait in the car, because who knows what could be waiting for me in my apartment."

Brock rolled his eyes and handed over the keys. "If something happens, honk the horn. I'll come to your rescue."

"Gee, thanks, babysitter."

* * *

**Closing Note: **A brief reunion and more Brock, because hey, I like that asshole.

If I were to do one shots with these characters, would folks be interested in that?


	37. Chapter 37

**Author's Note: **Mild angst in here. Mostly a crying Remy, but that's kind of expected at this point.

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Another two days passed before Remy returned to work. Because of the injury on her side she had started to wear dresses as to not put pressure near the healing site. Brock was still at her apartment sleeping on the awful couch, but he had been helpful in taking Lucky outside and for some walks while Remy laid in bed for the most part, both recovering and mourning.

But now she was returning to work. Brock was driving her despite her insistence that she was able to drive herself now, _thank you very much_. In a week she would go back to taking self defense classes with Autumn Rollins, though she would have to go slow. Remy was actually looking forward to that, hoping to make herself a little more useful now.

The biggest thing on her mind right now was Clint. She hadn't seen or heard from him since they saw each other briefly in the infirmary on the helicarrier before the battle in New York, and when she tried to ask Brock, he just claimed he didn't know. And truthfully, he might not know, but Remy kept trying to call bullshit and insist he tell her something. It wasn't working, and as Remy walked to the office containing a collection of cubicles, she couldn't help but feel frustrated over everything.

With a dramatic sigh, Remy set down her coffee cup and plopped herself down in her chair, wincing slightly. Okay, so apparently she had to watch how she sat down now. What she wouldn't give to punch Loki a few times for that injury, not to mention everything else. She actually hadn't heard anything about what was happening with that situation, but at the same time, did it matter? She was just an agent. She wasn't really involved in that whole mess. She wasn't an Avenger, just an agent. So there was no reason for Remy to know all the details. All she had to do now was paperwork.

And holy hell there was paperwork. So much.

As Remy read through the emails that had piled up over the last few days, a few were addressed personally to her. One telling her that she had the task of changing the status of agents to 'deceased' (oh joy!) and to send out condolence letters to the families, and another email from Fury saying they would be having a meeting in the next week in his office. She groaned quietly as she replied to the emails, shaking her head. The first one had given her a list of those deceased, and she wished she hadn't been tasked with that because this was going to haunt her, she just knew it.

But she wasn't going to complain. As several other agents filed in to start the day, she opened up the database and began searching for the names. It was going to be hard to keep it together when she got to Coulson's name, that much she knew. If she could leave his name for last and enter in everyone else, she would be able to disappear into a bathroom for a cry if it was needed.

As she started the task of looking over the deceased agents, it dawned on her that not only was it agents who passed in the helicarrier, but also the ones who died when the PEGASUS site imploded in the beginning of this mess. Seriously? This was over 100 names. She had to print over 100 of those letters then and send them out. This was going to be an emotional task, that much she knew, especially because she wondered if she'd have to send one to herself. Who was the asshole who assigned her this task?

Shaking her head, Remy decided not to fight it. She would do the job and do it right and respectively.

She kept at it, not paying attention to the scene around her. The other agents were already at work as they began the massive paperwork about the destruction of New York, as well as the PEGASUS site. Remy kept to herself until a shadow appeared over her. Frowning, she stopped typing and looked up, only to smile.

"Agent May." Remy greeted, feeling relieved and happy for the first time in days. "What brings you here?"

"Came to check on you." May replied as Remy spun her chair around to face her. "Make sure you're still in one piece."

"Well, some blood is missing, but other than that, I'm fine." Remy told her, shrugging.

"Mm." Was all May said as she studied the younger agent. Then she spoke again. "How has self defense training been going?"

"Oh, fine, y'know, when I'm actually there." She sighed. "I start back up next week. Hopefully it can be consistent this time."

May nodded before straightening up. "I'll let you get back to work, but we should see about meeting for lunch some time soon. To catch up."

"Uh, yea, okay. Sounds good." Remy nodded. "Maybe after all of this blows over?"

"Sounds like a plan. Take care, Agent Black." And with that, May left.

Remy waved as the older agent departed. That was... not as reassuring as Remy had hoped it wound be, but this was the workplace. May was different at work than she was outside with friends. Maybe they could grab a bite to eat some time. Her and Coulson had possibly been closer than him and Remy, so surely she was upset over losing her friend.

Sighing, she returned to her task.

* * *

Several hours passed until Remy came across Coulson's file.

Honestly, this was the hardest thing she ever had to do.

With just a few clicks of her mouse and typing in her employee number, Phil Coulson was listed as deceased in the database.

As soon as that was done, Remy stood up from her desk and hurried out of the office, ignoring the confused looks of the agents in there. She headed to the first bathroom she came too, relieved that it was vacant as she went to the last stall at the end. Once inside, she shut the door and sat on the toilet, head in her hands as she broke down sobbing.

Seriously, what was she going to do? Coulson had been the most important person in her life. Ever. And now he was gone. In a split second, thanks to some demi-God hellbent on chaos and destruction, he was taken from Remy and everyone else that knew him. Why did this have to happen to her? What was she going to do now?

She thought back to all the times he was there for her. Sure, he _had _been gone a lot because of his job, but when he was at the apartment, he really was there for Remy to the best of his abilities. Neither of them knew what to do with each other, or even interact. She was used to maids and cooks doing all the work, so to suddenly have to learn to wash the dishes and fold laundry, that had been quite the task. And Coulson certainly could have thrown her out on numerous occasions when her stubbornness caused them to fight many times, but he remained patient and allowed her to work out these issues.

And even at 28, Remy still had some of these issues, so now she was going to have to learn how to handle them on her own. She didn't want too. She wanted Coulson there to help her.

A few more tears escaped from her eyes. All she needed was to cry for a few minutes and she'd feel better. She could finish the task and move onto the next one, which getting the letters ready and taking them up to Fury to be signed. Though the letters were very much a 'fill in the blank' sort of thing, it was some sort of nice gesture for the Director of SHIELD to personally sign each one.

After a few more minutes, Remy got up and left the stall. She splashed some water on her face, dried her eyes, then headed back to the office. The letters took a few minutes to print and she kept to herself as she waited for them to finish. Once that was done, she collected the stack and headed up to Fury's office.

The elevator took a few minutes to get to the right floor. Once there, she approached his office and knocked. Only then did it dawn on her that perhaps she should have emailed him first. Aw, dammit. He might be pissed that she was interrupting him, or hell, he might not even be in his office.

The door open and she was generally surprised to see him there. He gestured for her to come in before he returned to his desk.

"I'm sorry, Director. I should have contacted you first." She said as she followed him to the desk. "I, uh, have the condolence letters for you to sign. You know, for the agents who um, died recently."

He took them from her and placed them on his desk before looking up at her. "Sit down, Agent Black."

Aw, shit. They were going to have this meeting now, weren't they? A feeling of dread hit her as she sat across him in her usual seat. Now she was done for because of the way she acted on the helicarrier. Talking to Loki, talking back to Fury and then walking out on him in front of the Avengers. She was done for. So as he looked across his desk at her, she nervously tugged at the bottom of her dress, trying to make it cover her knees.

"Are you going to need time off because of what happened with Coulson?"

Wait, that wasn't a question she was expecting. Remy gave him a funny look. "What do you mean?"

"Are you going to need time off because of Coulson's death?" He asked. "Because if you are, tell administration now so they can replace you."

"God no." She shook her head. "I'm tired of this... be at work, something happens, leave work shit that I've been doing the last few months. I'm... I'm better if I'm here, okay?"

Fury raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? I don't want to hear that you've been locking yourself away in the bathroom to cry every hour."

"Okay, hey, that only happened once so far, Director." She retorted, glaring at him. "And it was because I just had to list Phil as deceased, okay? Kind of a-" Her eyes widened suddenly and she slapped her hand onto his desk suddenly. "Sir, TAHITI."

"What about it?" He asked casually.

"That file you made me read. TAHITI." She said. "It's a project to bring the mortally wounded or dying back to life, right? That shit is stored in my brain. I was thinking about it while recovering in the helicarrier's infirmary. Why... why didn't you put Phil through the program? It could have saved him, you know."

Now Fury eyed her warily. "That memory of yours might get you into trouble, you know that?"

"But sir-"

"Agent Black, I suggest you remember what I told you back when I first gave you this job title. Do not bring up anything about the files to anyone. Ever. Do you understand?" His tone was mildly threatening as he looked at the agent across the desk. "No one."

Remy blinked slowly. "Okay, but..."

"This is a matter I don't wish to discuss right now." He said as he grabbed a pen to begin signing the letters. She sighed and sat back in the chair, nodding. For a few minutes they sat in silence, the only sound was the pen scratching across the paper. Finally, Fury broke the silence. "Agent Barton will be back in town in two days. Loki is being returned to Asgard with Thor in about an hour and I have a meeting with the World Security Council."

"Oh... _oh_." She nodded. "Okay, um. And then what?"

"He needs to be monitored to make sure Loki has no more control over him." Fury replied. "Even though it's been a few days, we need to be certain he's safe to be around. So he'll be kept here on the premises until doctors and Dr. Yamamoto say he's no longer a threat to others or himself."

She swallowed heavily but nodded. Great. It's been four, five days already without him, and now it could be longer? "Is Rumlow still going to uh, be my... protection detail?"

"For the time being, yes. Until Barton is cleared for duty."

"And that should happen..."

"When the doctor's and Yamamoto clear him for duty." Fury repeated, not looking up from the letters as he signed them.

"Oh, yes, of course." She nodded, biting her lip. "Also, uh, sir. The Chimera Order. You said you wanted me to recreate the map and list of bomb materials? When would you like that?"

Fury was halfway through the stack of letters now. "Soon. I need you to do this here in my office with just myself and Hill present. We're hoping that Jameson was the only Chimera Order good here, but we can't be too certain. So the plan is to do this next week once Loki is gone and everything has settled down."

She nodded. "Okay. I'll... I'll start writing down the bomb stuff if you want. In a notebook, that is. I'll also start looking at maps to pinpoint where those things were."

"No, hold off until you're here." Fury replied, shaking his head. "That way you're monitored and we can store the information safely here."

Well, damn. Remy just nodded again. "Very well, sir. What time would you like to meet?"

"Wednesday next week." He told her. "Depending on how fast your mind works, this might take all day. I'm betting there's a lot of information in that brain of yours to fill up several notebooks."

"Okay. Wednesday. Next week. I'll pencil you into my incredibly busy schedule."

* * *

**Closing Note: **So I think soon I'm gonna create a document that just contains one-shots for this story. They'll most likely be stuff Remy and Coulson got up to before the story, as well as events in general before the story (I'm working on Remy and Clint meeting the first time right now). So I'm gonna try to get a few done by the weekend. I hope you liked the chapter!


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Note: **It's been 9 days since my last update, and six of those days I've been working long hours, so I have had little time to write or even think about something other than folding jeans and t-shirts. But here's a new chapter!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Eight**

Remy started back up with self defense lessons on that Monday. Autumn was gentle with her for the most part, given that Remy was still healing, so she showed her techniques for escaping that didn't force her to use her whole body. It was still exhausting, and after their hour session, Remy wasn't sure if she could even dress herself for work after that. And she was going to keep this up until further notice.

Brock was still staying at her apartment, now camping out on the floor with Lucky after abandoning the couch. It was still awkward for her, and a small part of her said to let him use Coulson's room to sleep, but at the same time she couldn't do that just yet. Everything was so raw and painful that she wasn't sure if she could let anyone into that room for the time being. And while Remy still didn't think she needed him around, it was nice to have the company. He mostly kept to himself, only bringing a backpack with whatever he needed and taking it to the office with him each day. She was grateful for that simply because she was hoping that she could soon give Brock the boot out of her apartment and finally have some time alone.

The work in the office wasn't all that bad either. After mailing the letters out she was put to task helping with the damage reports with other agents. Occasionally there was a frustrated sigh heard in the office from one of the agents, but not from Remy. Despite the depressing nature of it, this was the kind of work she liked to do. Typing information into the database and printing out reports was what she signed up to do with SHIELD at the very beginning, and these last few months really showed her that she missed this line of work. There was no guns, no threats, no anything. Just typing.

When Wednesday rolled around, she was a little sad that she wouldn't be in the office for work. After her session with Autumn, Remy showered and checked her bandages before dressing and going up to Fury's office. It took several minutes to get there, and so in the elevator she shut her eyes and tried to focus back to all the data she had collected for Robert Paterson in her childhood. That was 10 years of information – the map, bomb making materials, and even the funds he would transfer to them.

She finally arrived at Fury's office about ten minutes before 8 AM. Sighing, she adjusted her dress and approached the door, giving it a few sharp knocks. This meeting was going to be different than any others. Instead of absorbing information, she would be giving it. It had been a while since she had done the reverse and there was a moment of worry. Would she be able to even recall anything? Or was it just stored so far in the back of her mind that it wouldn't surface?

The door to the office opened before she could keep worrying. Hill greeted her and held the door open as Remy walked in, heading to her usual seat in Fury's office. There was someone sitting beside that seat – someone she wasn't expecting.

"Holy shi-" She stopped herself and cleared her throat, trying to be more professional. "Captain Rogers, it's nice to see you again. What are you doing here?"

He looked up and gave her a smile. Fuck that award winning smile of his. Remy had to remind herself that she had to be professional in front of Hill and Fury like this. No giggling and blushing at Captain fucking America like she did once before. "I told you I'd help with this Chimera Order business. You said they were the new HYDRA."

"Huh. You did say you'd help, didn't you." Remy grinned sheepishly as she took a seat next to him. On Fury's desk there was a map of the United States as well as a tablet. The Director sat across from them with Hill moving to stand at the side of the desk. Now this felt weird with three pairs of eyes on her. Sighing, Remy picked up a sharpie that was on the desk and looked down at the map. "Okay, really, you guys don't have to watch me. This isn't some sort of magic trick or something." She glanced up at him. "If you like, have other things to do, that's fine."

"I'm actually curious how this works..." Hill said with a shrug. Fury and Steve both nodded in agreement. Rolling her eyes, Remy pulled the map towards herself and began writing X on various parts of the country.

She noticed Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota had the most marks – three each. The west coast had zero, and the lower states had at least one. Biting her lip, she straightened up and looked at Fury.

"Look, I know that uh, this... this is possibly outdated information, but can I suggest that if you send a team out to investigate, they might want to check the states I didn't mark." Remy explained as she capped the marker. "Last time I saw this map I was 15, so it's possible they set up shops in different states by now. And before you ask, no, I don't know what these really mean. Are they hide outs, targets, or what? No idea."

Fury nodded and rolled the map up before handing it to Hill. "Interrogate one of those idiots and see what they say about this."

Hill nodded and took it from him. Remy sighed and grabbed the tablet. "Materials next, I'm guessing."

"Good guess, Agent Black." Fury replied sarcastically. Remy rolled her eyes again and sat back in the chair this time, typing away on the tablet.

"What else do you need?" Remy asked as she typed away. "Expense reports as well? 'cause these three things are all I know about these fools. And before you even suggest it or mention it, _hell no_ I'm not going to risk talking to Robert Paterson again."

"Paterson escaped prison during the incident in New York." Fury told her, leaning back in his seat. Remy let her head drop down, swearing loudly. "It's assumed Jameson was involved, as was some of the prison guards."

"Is that why I've got Rumlow sleeping on my living room floor?" She asked, shaking her head. "Because you know, being told from a supervisor that I'd have a protective detail sounds much better than just having said protective detail push himself into my life like this. Next time send me a damn email or something." She rubbed her face. "When can I get rid of him? I mean, we get along, but I could do without his awful aftershave stinking up the apartment."

"Not until we eliminate the problem." Hill told her. "Or someone else offers. The reason being is that we believe they still have an informant here in SHIELD, but we're having difficulty pinpointing who it is. The jailbreak occurred during the attack on New York, so we weren't aware of it until just recently."

"Wow, so perfect timing." Remy muttered sarcastically. Hill glared at her and Remy shut up. For about a minute.

"You really need to take this situation seriously, Agent Black!" Hill snapped.

"I am taking it seriously!" Remy shot back. "Especially after, y'know, I was shot and nearly kidnapped! But right now, after the damn alien invasion, it's a little hard to worry about one stupid group's ridiculous attempt at repeating history when I'm to busy looking to the sky and wondering if a giant hand or something is gonna reach down and start squishing people!"

"If you don't take this seriously, Agent Black, we'll keep you here." Fury warned. "It's possible the Chimera Order will strike at your apartment next, and with Paterson _and_ Jameson out there, hellbent on this ridiculous grudge of theirs, you're in more danger than you think. If there is just one more incident with them that involves you then I'm locking you up here until further notice."

Remy immediately paused and turned to stared at him. "Wait, you'll arrest me?"

"It's not arresting you." Fury told her mildly. "It's just locking you up here in one of the cells. Against your will." He paused, as though choosing his next words carefully before speaking again. "The things you know? If that falls into the wrong hands then we could be all screwed. Think about it. If Loki got his hands on you, that whole mess could have been a lot worse if he knew about Phase Two and TAHITI." Remy narrowed her eyes at him. "And he would have probably killed you for the information anyway, or the people working with him would have."

Remy bit down on her lip, worrying it between her teeth as she looked at the other three in the room. Hill looked annoyed at her, Fury's expression was unreadable at that point, and Steve just gave her a worried, yet slightly confused, look. Well, shit. "Okay. Suggestion. I get an apartment closer to here. Like, across the river close so I can walk my ass here."

"What would moving do to help this?" Hill asked, raising an eyebrow.

Remy shrugged. "Well, got no roommate to help with the rent now. And if I move and SHIELD doesn't change my address or no one else knows, I'll be fine. Hell, I'll allow you to put a damn security camera in my apartment. Not my bedroom or bathroom, but everywhere else. I mean, you have guys who can probably rig my apartment to blow up or some shit if someone unauthorized enters there, right? Or send a warning text to me if that happens. Rig the fucking doorknob with a fingerprint thing so only authorized people can actually go in, like Clint or Captain Rogers here."

"Have you been hanging around Stark?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow. "That sounds awfully... intense." He paused. "And why would I be authorized?"

"I've known you a short while, Cap, but I consider you someone I can really trust with this." Remy told him. "And no, I haven't been hanging around Stark. But, oh, he could probably rig this sort of stuff up, you know."

Fury and Hill shared a look, one that Remy couldn't quite figure out. It was as if they were communicating without talking, and it was a little odd, but if you worked with someone as closely as those two did, it wasn't surprising. It felt like centuries passed before they finally turned and looked back at her.

"See if Rumlow will help you move into a new apartment." Fury told her. "One that SHIELD chooses for you that is close to here. Some of that tech you thought of is a little much, but I'm sure we can arrange something with Stark to get a little assistance on it."

"Look, oh my God, I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but let me ask Stark because I can probably woo him into doing it." Remy replied, rubbing her face. "Pretty sure he has a small and weird fascination with me since I told him about my memory."

"'Woo' him?" Steve repeated. Oh, she kept forgetting he was there. He was so quiet. Remy looked at him and shrugged.

"Charm him. Bribe. Flirt. Whatever." She said. "Flash some cleavage."

Hill and Fury both rolled their eyes. Steve looked a bit uncomfortable. Remy just shrugged again.

"Hey, as Fury said, I'm _charming_."

"Try to get yourself in contact with Stark then." Fury grumbled, though he sounded reluctant. "Just so your ass doesn't get kidnapped or something."

* * *

An email was sent out to everyone about having a moment of silence the following day at noon. It had been over a week since the invasion and things were still being cleaned up from it, but there had been several inquiries about having some sort of memorial service for the fallen agents. Any time Remy heard someone bring it up, she would just keep to herself and continue on with her work, not wanting to even think about it because it would just be another reminder of what had happened with Loki. She didn't want to remember it – she wanted to forget it all happened.

She wasn't the only one, either. There were rumors flying around about how many agents had entered therapy over what had happened. Sure, they were rumors, and those things could end up being wrong half of the time, but she knew that Agent Reynolds really did not have two dentist appointments in a week over a flossing issue. That man had the most perfect teeth ever, and the fact that he would loudly announce it before leaving the office was another clue. But she wasn't about to call him out on it, nor anyone else, because it wasn't her business.

In reality, she should have probably gone to therapy of some kind, but she didn't want too. She could handle this shit, and if that meant the reoccurring nightmares of Coulson's death almost every night, and how it would change to having Clint being skewered instead, then fine, she would handle it. The less SHIELD knew what was going on in her life, the better, considering how much they were already involved. If Fury knew about it, hell, Remy could have been thrown into his threatened lock up before Jameson could even think about coming after her.

Brock knew about them, actually. Even though the man was sleeping on her living room floor and often slept like the dead, he wasn't dumb. He knew something was wrong when she kept trying to cook pancakes on the unheated stove top the previous morning, but he wasn't going to say anything because for once, he was going to stay out of her business.

So at the end of the work day when he went to her office to retrieve her, he knew she had seen the email and that she'd probably be in for another sleepless night. Fuck, and he had plans that night, but he was told not to leave her alone by herself. Groaning, he went over to her desk and grabbed the back of her chair, startling her.

"Fucking hell!" She shrieked, turning to glare at him. "What the hell, Brock! I'm busy!"

"Busy trying not to cry?" He shot back. She glared at him still and he backed down a bit. "Look, I know tomorrow is gonna be hard for you, so how about we go to your place, get dressed in normal clothes, and go to Rollins' place for dinner? I already made plans with them and if I back out, Autumn will skin me alive."

Remy rubbed her face. "God, strike me down now."

"You don't have much of a say in this." He told her. "And she told me to invite you anyway. And you can bring the dog, too."

"I swear to God, Brock-"

"No, you're going and doing something normal tonight. With me." Brock ordered as he grabbed her purse and pulled her to her feet. She continued to glare. "Hey, I know you'd rather be with Barton right now, but until he's cleared, you get to have my company. And for once, I'm gonna ignore your protests and drag your ass out of that apartment and get you outside so maybe you'll be relaxed."

Remy reluctantly followed him, mentally deciding the best way to kill him. "I really hate you right now."

"I know." Was his reply.

"Can I at least shower?" She asked.

"Oh God, please do. And wear something nice."

* * *

**Closing: **I really love writing Brock/Remy friendship stuff at times because they act like they hate each other half of the time but really they're friends. I swear. Just friends.


	39. Chapter 39

**Author's Note: **Holy cow, sorry for taking so long now with updates. I'm still working a lot and I've actually done about three re-writes of this portion of the story. I've been re-reading the reviews I've received, so those have sparked the ideas for the story now. So since there's been re-writing, updates will be slow, so I apologize for that. But I hope it's worth it and y'all enjoy it!

* * *

**Chapter Thirty-Nine**

Okay, having dinner with the "I-Can-And-Will-Kill-You-With-A-Toothpick" married SHIELD agents was not as bad as Remy anticipated. Jack Rollins actually spoke to her and Autumn made her take home leftovers. It was... so domestic and almost parental that Remy wondered if it was some weird alternate universe where they were her assassin parents or something. It was weird, but it was nice to do something different for once. Not to mention Brock wasn't a dick or tried to flirt with her during the car ride there or home. Even Lucky had fun, but that was probably because Jack took him for a long walk – longer than the puppy was used too, really.

So when Remy let them into her apartment (Brock was nice enough to carry the sleeping Lucky up the stairs), she was relieved at how relaxed she felt.

Except that didn't last long when she went to hang up her coat on the rack and saw one of Coulson's still hanging there. She hadn't touched his things at all since he died. She just couldn't bring herself to do that just yet. So when her fingers brushed against his coat which hadn't been moved since he last hung it there, it hit her again that he really was gone.

Brock had put the sleeping puppy down when he heard Remy inhale sharply. Aw, fuck. He never really knew what to do when someone cried, much less an ex girlfriend.

"So..." He tried, scratching the back of his head. "You wanna talk about it?"

She shook her head and went to her room, shutting the door after her. Well, shit. That was one way to avoid any awkwardness then.

Thankfully he left her alone. Remy changed into her pajamas which now consisted of a stolen pair of Clint's boxers (ones with little arrows on them) and one of Coulson's t-shirts (a well worn Captain America one, obviously). It was a little bit of comfort since they were gone, but it was still physically painful to be in that apartment without either of them. Especially without Coulson. This had been his apartment long before she came around, so what was she supposed to do? She couldn't afford the rent without him, and like hell was she going to get another roommate.

Oh God, she really was going to have to move. And to a smaller place.

Rubbing her face, she left the confines of her room to get something to drink. Brock was sitting on the couch, watching television as she entered the kitchen. He glanced in her direction.

"So..."

"No, I don't wanna talk." She mumbled as she filled up a water bottle.

"Yea, but..." He tried again.

"No, Brock." She sighed.

"Okay." He shrugged. "I'll check on you before I go to bed then."

This time Remy shrugged before she went into her room. She didn't shut her door all the way that time, which was smart to do, considering Lucky ran full speed after her, throwing himself into her door and leaping for her bed. He was a little too short, not quite making the jump, but thankfully she acted quick and caught him before he could get hurt.

"Little bugger." She grumbled, lifting him onto the bed with her. He bounced around, woofing at her as he tried to get comfortable on her bed. Rolling her eyes, she stretched out on the mattress, sighing in frustration as she tried to think about what was going to happen next. Apartment, yes. But it had to be affordable and take pets.

Once Lucky was comfortable on the bed, he rolled onto his back and looked at her. She scratched his tummy gently, smiling a bit when his leg started to kick. "Biggest dork dog ever. You wanna go live in a new place with me? It will be smaller, but I might be able to find a daycare for you so you don't have to stay in an apartment all day with someone else. You can play with other dogs, but don't let them beat you up." Lucky cocked his head to the side. "Yea, all you're really hearing is 'blah blah blah', huh?"

He rolled back over and licked her hand. She couldn't help but grin. "You know, I wish Phil met you. You two would have been partners in crime or something. But the second you thought about chewing on one of his Captain America things, he would have probably sent you off to a deserted island or something." Lucky woofed at her. "Yea, that man loved his Cap stuff."

Her phone buzzed, startling her. Sighing, she picked it up and checked it. It was a text from Hill with a link to an apartment listing. Oh, so Remy wasn't even going to really pick the apartment then. Someone else was. She rolled over to the side of her bed, picking up her infrequently used laptop. She turned it on and waited for it to load, and in that time her phone buzzed a few more times. Hill sent several more links for apartment listings.

"Huh." Remy typed the URLs into the browsers on her computer before sending a text back to Hill. "_Nothing better to do than hunt for apartments for me? I hope you're getting overtime for this._"

She petted Lucky with one hand while the other browsed the options. One was a third floor studio apartment literally right across the river from the Triskelion, but that might be a little _too_ close for Remy's comfort. Another was one bedroom, one bath a few blocks away from the first result. There was another studio apartment that wasn't to far from where she was now, and the final was two bedrooms and two baths, similar to what she was in now. Well, gee, great results, but at the same time she couldn't fault Hill for the choices because hey, that was probably what was available for what SHIELD could do for her in terms of security.

Remy thought back to a few months ago when she first started that new gig at SHIELD of electronically archiving old forms. What would have happened if she had protested that task? Would she be in the position she is now – fearing for her life and wondering if the next person to smile at her on the sidewalk was really the person who would kidnap her? Or would it have happened anyway with Coulson's constant need of making sure she knew there were more things out there in SHIELD's own world. Hell, if she hadn't been in that crappy office with Agent Davis all that time ago, would she have worked closely with Clint like that and invited him over for a soccer match? Would she have made out with him in her kitchen?

Aw, fuck. She felt sad again as she reflected on all of this. It was sappy to say, but it had been a somewhat simpler time before this mess happened.

Her phone buzzed. It was another text from Hill. "_I'm doing it out of the kindness of my heart._"

Remy could feel the sarcasm dripping from that text. "_Any chance you would accompany me to checking out the first three? Just so I don't somehow end up kidnapped._"

"_Saturday would be the best day. Appointments are already set up. Captain Rogers will be joining us._"

"_There's just no stopping you, is there._"

She shut down her laptop and tucked it back under her bed with a sigh. This Chimera Order business needed to go away now so her life could get back to some sort of normalcy. Maybe once Clint was released things would be okay.

* * *

Ten minutes til noon and Remy was on an elevator, going to a floor she hadn't been to in a while. The floor was still as empty as it was when she first was working there a few months ago, with only the occasional agent wandering through. The office was empty for the most part with only two desks and two chairs still in it. As she let herself into the office, there was a bit of comfort to be had as she took a seat at the desk that was once hers, spinning around in her chair to face the other desk.

It honestly felt like forever ago since she was down here with Clint, throwing crumpled pieces of paper at each other or flirting shamelessly as they worked. The occasional visit from Coulson was always nice, as he was making sure that Clint was actually working and not just sitting around. Even though it got intense when the boxes kept arriving, and Remy honestly feared that they were going to be barricaded in there at one point, it had been an enjoyable work experience for her.

She rubbed her face. Fuck. A lot had changed in a few months.

Coulson was gone. Clint was gone. Shit had just changed dramatically so fast that Remy felt like she was still catching up at times. It had been what, a week since that Loki nonsense? A week without Coulson or Clint to talk too or see. She kept having nightmares about the ordeal, waking up with a scream and cold sweat each time. Brock would always rush in to check on her with Lucky on his heels, both worried for her. And each time Brock would put Lucky on her bed next to her before he'd take a seat on the floor beside the bed, trying his best to get comfortable so he could sleep. The night before she ended up just pulling him into her bed, clinging to him as she cried, babbling about the nightmare that seemed to real to her.

They barely got any sleep before Remy's alarm was going off, telling her to get ready for work.

And now she sat at her old desk, one leg carefully tucked up under her body as the other idly spun the chair slowly. She sighed and checked her phone. The time read it was 11:57. The moment of silence was in three minutes.

"You realize this is how you'll get kidnapped, right?"

Remy jumped, dropping her phone. Standing in the doorway was the Director, arms crossed as he stared her down. Sheepishly, she bent over and retrieved her phone.

"No one comes down here." She replied with a shrug. "I figured there was no risk."

"For you, there will always be a risk." He told her as he entered the room, taking the empty chair across from her. He didn't speak for a few minutes as he looked around the office, raising an eyebrow. "I can see why Barton hated it so much down here. You really are in a windowless cage."

"I was in here for like, six weeks." Remy shrugged. "I was okay. The only reason I asked for the bigger office was that you kept bringing me boxes and he was going mad down here. I didn't want to have to deal with being barricaded in here should there be an avalanche." She leaned back in her seat, looking over at him. "Did you follow me down here to reprimand me for avoiding the moment of silence?"

"I was alerted by a member of security." Fury replied with a shrug. "They know the situation with you. We can't be too careful, you know. It would look terrible on paper if you were abducted from inside a SHIELD base."

"Gee, thanks?" She raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't explain why the Director of SHIELD followed a lowly agent into the depths of the Triskelion, you know. You must have something to tell me, and I'm guessing it's not good because of the way you're _not_ telling me." Remy shifted in her seat, wincing as she moved her other leg out from under her. "Is it Clint? Did something happen with him?"

Fury didn't reply right away. Remy felt her heart drop into her stomach. "Director, is Agent Barton okay?"

"Normally I don't care much for the personal lives of the agents, but he's one of the best we have, you know." He said as he stood up. "It's been what, a week since you last saw him? He refuses to talk to doctors at this point. They're being patient with him, but I'm not. I need him to get his act together, understand?"

"Oh... okay?" Remy frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I need you to talk to him."

"Okay, but Director Fury, he's been through a lot." Remy began hastily. "Between the Loki thing and then fighting aliens? Anyone would be messed up. Hell, if Captain America went through that mind controlling shit, he'd also be fucked up somehow." She frowned. "Hell, I bet every one of those Avengers people are going through hell with this."

"The Captain is finding his own way of handling his problems." Fury replied as he headed for the door. "Come with me, Agent Black. We'll talk on the elevator."

Reluctantly, she followed after him slowly, rubbing her side as they stepped onto the elevator. She didn't think to argue over this. Why was she suddenly the Avenger Whisperer or whatever? First it was Captain America, then she had to pretty much babysit (and failed at it) Tony Stark and Bruce Banner back on the helicarrier. It was possible that he would want her to braid Natasha's hair or something just as ridiculous next. Remy shook her head as the elevator went to their floor.

"Why are you so quiet, Agent Black?" Fury asked as the doors opened. "Figured you'd be fighting me or asking a million questions about this."

Remy shrugged. "I'm basically accepting this new sudden job of being the Avenger Whisperer or whatever. Babysitter, maybe? I mean, this random job switching here at SHIELD really keeps me on my toes, you know, but give me notification if you're giving me a new job." She hazard a glance at him as they headed down the hall. "Can I at least get an email if you make me Director of SHIELD? I'd like that as a warning at least."

"I'll make sure to tell you in person." He replied dryly as they turned left down another hall. "I've been fighting with the doctors about getting Barton to cooperate. They think he needs to move at his own pace, but I don't have the patience for that right now. I understand if he wants to take time off after this, but I can't have his mind going to waste because he's being stubborn."

They stopped in front of a closed door. Remy looked at Fury, raising an eyebrow. "Yea, okay, I know you really think I'm good at this charming business, and that I got Barton to work the first day he got in my office, but I don't think batting my eyelashes at him is-"

She was cut off by something hitting the door. Remy jumped back, looking up at the Director with a startled look. Then there was the loud cursing.

"You'll be safe. He hasn't actually attacked anyone today." Fury said as he unlocked the door. "Just get in there quickly."

She continued staring at Fury even as she crept through the door. At the other side of the room, looking like complete and utter hell, was Clint.

* * *

**Closing Note: **as I said, I went off from the feedback of what you guys enjoyed of Remy's interactions with some of the characters, so this is how the story is going to go. There's gonna be some angst coming up but it won't last long. And I'm still working out some of the kinks, but here you go!


	40. Chapter 40

**Author's Note: **This chapter is not a super happy chapter. And I'm actually unsure if I'm happy with how it turned out? Kind of my first try at writing a scene like this I think. But I wanted to warn folks that there is mild violence between two people in this chapter. So just a heads up.

Also? Y'all who review and say you enjoy this story? It gives me so much life, so thank you very much! And everyone who is also reading this? Thank you as well! I never imagined people would read this and enjoy it, so thank you!

* * *

**Chapter Forty**

Remy clenched her jaw as she shut the door behind her, keeping her attention on Clint. He was watching her as he moved toward the bed in the room, eyes narrowed as he worked out who she was. It was killing her not to rush him and throw her arms around him, but given how he was looking at her, like she was the enemy all of a sudden, she didn't want to risk anything.

He looked, well, awful. He looked thinner than before – maybe he was refusing food? There were bags under his eyes like he was missing out on sleep as well. And the beard that was growing was a little too much. He was almost always clean shaven; even when he had the broken arm he shaved.

"Hey, Clint." She said, trying to keep her voice steady as she leaned against the wall. "So... nice room."

"Are you real?" He demanded, clenching his fists as he narrowed his eyes. "I swear to God, if you're not-"

"Clint, whoa, I'm real." Remy insisted, holding her hands up now, trying to show that she was not a threat to him. "Very real. I mean, as real as I can be."

He didn't look convinced as he shook his head. "This is just a trick. Loki's still messing with my head, isn't he?" He growled, hitting his fist against the wall. Remy jumped slightly, keeping against the opposite wall as she kept her eyes on him. A part of her hoped there were cameras in this room monitoring them, just in case, but she also knew he wouldn't hurt her. Right? "No, he is. He fucked with my head good and this is still a result of it."

"Clint, no, honey. I'm real." She repeated, taking a cautious step toward him. He tensed up, pressing himself up against the wall as he watched her. It was like prey watching a predator, ready to run if there was an opening. "How can I prove it to you?"

He kept looking like he was about to bolt at any given chance, but there was nowhere for him to go. Remy kept her eyes on him as she took another step toward him. He tensed up but stayed at his end of the room.

"Hey, how do you want me to prove it to you?" She tried again, stopping when she was about six feet away from him. "Ask me a question and I'll answer it, how about that? If I can't answer the question, then yea, this is all a result of Loki. But if I answer it correctly, you have to believe that it's me, okay?"

Clint narrowed his eyes as he thought this over, trying to work out whether or not this was a trick. He moved toward the bed, taking a seat on the edge of it, his gaze never leaving her. He licked his lips slowly as he tried to think of something. "That first night we kissed... what happened that night?"

"Oh my God." Remy rubbed her face, suddenly feeling a little embarrassed because yea, no, there was probably cameras in here for sure and they were going to hear all of this. "Sounders won. We made out in the kitchen. It was our first kiss. And then we went to my bedroom where we ended up fucking all night."

"Well, that was kind of vulgar." Clint replied, scratching the back of his head. He looked a tiny bit relaxed now. "I figured you were just going to say your team won, not that we fucked."

She rolled her eyes as she stood there, putting her hands on her hips. "Seriously?"

He grinned sheepishly. Remy sighed and moved closer to him, taking a seat near him on the bed. He watched her carefully before reaching over and touching her hand. "Why are you here, Remy? I was told I couldn't have visitors."

"I'm not really a visitor, Clint." She told him gently, taking his hand in hers and entwining their fingers. "I gotta talk to you about real stuff, okay? I know you're hurting but you gotta listen." He nodded, looking down at their fingers. "You need to listen to the doctors, honey. They want to help you."

"No, they want to fuck with my head." He grumbled as he tried to pull his hand away. She wouldn't let him. "I'm tired of it. Tired of the questions, of the talking. They act like everything is okay but it's not. It really isn't."

"They want to help, really." Remy murmured, tightening her grip on his hand. "The sooner you let them help you, the sooner you're out. You know this, right?"

He managed to jerk his hand out of her grasp before standing up and walking to the other side of the room. "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of them talking to me, telling me it's going to be okay. It's not, though. It's not okay!" He suddenly punched the wall, startling Remy. "I'm not sleeping. The fucking nightmares are just too real and I can't sleep because every time I close my fucking eyes I see it all again."

"What do you see?" Remy asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking as she stayed on the bed. He was agitated now, pacing from the wall to the door before he turned and punched the door. She could see his knuckles were starting to bleed. "Clint, what do you see?"

"Everything, Remy!" He snapped, clenching his fists, ignoring the pain in his hand. "Coulson's dead because of me! I couldn't stop Loki back at the compound, you know? I let him escape because I wasn't able to stop him! I let him take me along for the ride! I killed so many people because of him and now they decided to lock me up in here!"

Remy rubbed her face with her hands, letting out a weary sigh. She didn't know what to say. Arguing with him was probably not the best option when he was in this state. He swore loudly, gripping his hair before punching the wall over and over again.

"Clint. _Clint_!" Remy got up and went over to him, grabbing his shoulder. That was a mistake because he grabbed her, shoving her against the wall with a hand gripping her throat as the other covered her mouth.

"Shut _up_." He hissed. "I told Loki everything about Remy, you know. This could all be an illusion, messing with my mind to drive me insane!" He tightened his grip; she clawed at his wrists, trying to get him to drop one of his hands. "I don't believe that it's you."

She dug her nails into one of his wrists and he finally dropped the hand covering her mouth. She managed to gasp for air, now trying to get him to let go of her throat. "Clint! Let go!" She begged, her voice tight as she tried desperately to breathe. "Loki... Loki's gone, okay?! Clint, honey, you're safe here!"

"I don't believe you!" He screamed, slamming her hard into the wall. "How can I believe anything anyone says anymore?! My mind was played with, don't you understand?! How am I sure that this is even real right now?!"

Her vision was starting to tunnel as she fought for air. His grip tightened around her throat, his screaming growing distant. A loud bang caught her attention and he let go of her. Remy started to sink to the floor but someone caught her, pulling her from the room. She could hear the sound of fighting and screaming as people rushed passed her. The next thing she heard was the sound of a door slamming and muffled sounds.

* * *

"Well, gee. That went well." She grunted as she held an ice pack against her throat. "Is he okay, though? Clint's not hurt, right?"

"He tried to choke you to death and you're concerned about him? You must have hit your head pretty hard." The nurse muttered as she checked Remy over for any other injuries as well as making sure the wound on her side was okay. It had been healing just fine, but the nurse wanted to be sure nothing happened in the scuffle. Fury stood back near the door, arms across his chest as he waited for her to be finished. Remy resisted snapping at the nurse, instead looking at Fury.

"Barton has attacked someone almost every day." He replied. "I was hoping with you it wouldn't happen, but obviously I was wrong."

"You? Wrong? Never!" Remy replied sarcastically, shooting him a glare. "He's not okay, Director. He really isn't. I'm betting you have his room under a video surveillance, right? He thinks he's still being controlled by Loki."

Twenty minutes had passed since the incident. Fury had escorted her to the infirmary to be checked over while doctors and nurses tended to Clint. After a few minutes of being poked and prodded by the nurse, Remy finally swatted at her to go away before hopping off of the exam table and heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" The nurse demanded. "I'm not finished!"

"Well, _I'm_ finished." Remy snapped. "And if you keep muttering under your breath about Barton then it's gonna get real ugly, sweetheart." And she threw the door open and left with Fury following after her.

"Agent Black, stop." Fury ordered once they were out in the hall. Surprisingly, she did stop before turning to face him. "Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm assuming Barton was sedated." She said, turning back around. "I'm going to see him when he's not in a crazed state, okay? And I'm not going to be stopped unless you point a gun at me." She didn't really wait for an answer before she continued her march to the room. There was a tall, muscular nurse standing outside of Clint's room, arms folded across his chest like he was a damn bouncer at a club. Remy walked right passed him and grabbed the doorknob, turning it slowly. He caught her by the wrist.

"No one's allowed in." He said gruffly, trying to steer her away from the door. "He's asleep anyways, so there's no point in going in there."

Remy pulled away and glared at him. "Do I look like I give a fuck? As I told the Director, the only way to stop me is if you put a gun to my head." She snapped, looking him over. "And you don't have one, so out of my way."

The nurse was about to argue with her but Fury walked up, giving him a look. He begrudgingly allowed her inside before shutting the door behind her. Remy rolled her eyes and looked to the bed. The room was dark save for a nightlight in the corner near the bed. The bed that held an exhausted archer. He was curled up on top of the covers, shaking a bit as he laid there asleep. She took in the sight, noticing that for the most part he seemed comfortable and at peace, but that was all from the drug they gave him to relax him. Shaking her head, she went over to the bed and pulled the blanket out from under him before carefully covering him up. His hand suddenly shot up, grabbing her by the wrist and startling her.

"Babe?" He asked groggily, frowning as he tried to focus on her. "Why's there two of yous?"

Oh, how it broke her heart to see him like this. "There's only one of me, Clint." She insisted as she took a seat on the edge of the bed. He immediately moved toward her, putting his head in her lap as he draped an arm across her thighs. "You okay? Do you know what happened earlier?"

"Attacked someone, I think." He mumbled sleepily, closing his eyes as he relaxed. "Looked like you but it wasn't you."

"How did you know it wasn't me?" She murmured, running her fingers through his hair. "Honey, you... you attacked someone. You can't keep doing that or they'll never let you leave, okay? And I miss you and Lucky misses you."

He rubbed his face and rolled over onto his back to look up at her. "I miss that fluffy dog. Is he still a puppy?"

"He's still a puppy, Clint." She told him, keeping her voice quiet. "But honey, you gotta talk to the doctors here, okay? I know you don't want too but the sooner you talk the sooner you're out of here." Clint shrugged as he rolled back onto his side, pressing his face against her stomach. God, she was reminded of the dog when he did this. Lucky had started doing the same thing when she tried to get him to leave her alone at night. "Clint, I'm being serious. You can't attack people anymore."

"I attacked Loki." He mumbled, voice slurring a bit either from exhaustion or the drug. Or both, really. Remy wouldn't have been surprised at this point. "He's... he's not people. He's Loki."

"Clint, no, you attacked me." She told him, pushing on his shoulder to get him on his back. "Your hand was around _my_ throat. You were trying to kill me."

Clint frowned, cocking his head awkwardly to the side as he reached up to touch her neck. She flinched and he pulled away, eyes widening slowly. "What did I do?"

"You attacked me." She repeated. "You had a hand on my throat and one over my mouth. You were trying to kill me. I don't know... I don't know what triggered it but... you were fine one moment, asking me to talk about the first time we kissed... and I did, I told you, but within seconds or minutes, I don't know, you did a complete 180, rambling and hitting the walls with your fists." She rubbed at her eyes. It was difficult not to cry right then but she was going to try to keep it together. "And I tried to stop you but you pushed me into the wall. You were insistent that I was lying, and then... then the doctors and nurses came in and that was it."

He stared up at her, a look mixed with exhaustion and shock on his face. He started to sit up, swaying a bit as the drugs in his system seem to hit him again. His legs were wobbly as he pushed himself from the bed, only for them to give out from underneath him, causing him to crumple to the ground. Remy swore softly and dropped to her knees beside him, helping him into a sitting position. "You went down like a sack of flour. Must be some cocktail they gave you."

"Shush." He mumbled, rubbing his knees as he leaned back against the bed frame. "I hu-hurt you. I hurt people. I need... I need to stay locked up."

"Clint." Remy sighed softly as she touched his arm. He flinched, looking down at his lap. "Do you want me to leave right now?" He shook his head stubbornly. "Okay, well, then I'll stay here until you either want me to leave or they kick me out, is that okay?" He just shrugged, hugging his knees to his chest as he stared at the wall in front of him. She sighed again, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it gently. "You're... you're going to be okay, Clint."

"You don't know that." He whispered, shaking his head.

"How come... how come you seemed okay back on the helicarrier?" She asked, slowly putting her arm around him. "When I said I loved you, and then you went off to fight the aliens? What happened to get you ending up in here?"

He shrugged again, pulling his knees closer to himself as he carefully leaned into her. She didn't know what else to say or do, so she went quiet. Clint stayed in that position for a while, and judging by how steady his breathing had become after about 20 minutes, Remy decided he must have fallen asleep. She didn't want to move or disturb him, and when a doctor came in telling her to leave, she refused, because he seemed to actually be asleep and she couldn't wake him up after all of that. If he was asleep, he was going to stay asleep, even if that meant Remy's arm was going to go numb from holding him.

* * *

**Closing Note: **I don't know if I've read a lot of fics that deal with what Clint went through with the aftermath of what Loki did to him, and so I decided to try and explore that now with the story, because c'mon, that guy went through hell just as much as the others did. I figure that Clint seemed ~okay~ during the New York battle because it was the adrenaline and a sort of 'fight or flight' thing going on with him, and after being checked over by medical, they decided that, hey, we should keep this guy a few days _just_ to be sure. And... yea. Clint's not okay right now.

The next few chapters are kind of on this level of not-very-happy times, but there will be some fluff after that, because c'mon.


	41. Chapter 41

**Author's Note: **I'm throwing out chapters now and I'm really digging this story so far and I hope you guys enjoy it too! Mild, _mild_ angst in this one for Remy and Clint. But, y'know, this story is humor and romance, not angst and all that. I want happiness in this story so angst will usually be short lived. So enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Forty-One**

Saturday was spent apartment hunting with Hill and Steve. Remy was surprised how Hill took control of the whole thing, asking questions Remy never thought to ask a landlord. By the end of it all, Remy settled on the studio apartment. The place allowed dogs of all sizes, not to mention there was a doggy daycare across the street that offered a discount for residents of that apartment. It was a pretty sweet deal, but Remy had wished Clint was able to tag along.

She had visited him again on Friday during her lunch hour, but he had ignored her for the most part, staying curled up on his bed as she ate her lunch on the floor beside it. They didn't speak at all. And Sunday she was able to leave Lucky with her neighbor before sneaking into the Triskelion to see Clint again, but he still refused to talk to her. She didn't understand where this was coming from at all, but she never tried to talk to him. Remy just hoped that her company might let him relax a bit more for the doctors.

On the following Wednesday she finally said something to him. "Hey, so, I'm getting a new apartment." She began, glancing over at him from her spot on the floor. "It's a studio. It's a bit smaller than the one I'm in now, but that's okay. I don't need a lot of space." She leaned back against the bed frame. "Steve's gonna help me move, and I'm gonna ask Tony Stark if he'd help design a security system for my apartment, 'cause, y'know, that Chimera Order shit."

Clint rolled over on the bed to look at her, a frown on his face. "Why are you moving?"

That was the first thing he said to her since she talked to him in his sedated state. He was a little sedated even now – the doctors made it a point to do it to him before she went in for a visit, and though Remy understood why they did it, she fucking hated that they did.

"Well, uh, no roommate to help with the rent anymore, and I don't need a big place like that for myself, so..." She shrugged as she looked away and down at her sandwich. "I just... wanted a change after everything that happened." She heard him let out a heavy sigh and turned to face him again. "Clint? Something wrong?"

"No." He mumbled as he turned to face away from her again. "Your lunch is almost over, isn't it?"

"Uh..." Remy checked her phone. "I got about another ten minutes, why?"

"Should probably go back to work then." He mumbled again, burying his face into his pillow. Remy stood up and brushed the crumbs from her clothes.

"Yea, okay. I'll uh, see you tomorrow then?" It was always a question if she'd come back, because if he said no, she might listen and stay away, but so far he never objected to having her there. He'd usually just shrug in response or not say anything, and she figured she'd be able to tell if he wanted her gone.

But this time he surprised her. "You should stop visiting."

"Wait, why?" Remy asked, frowning as she reached over to touch his shoulder. "Clint, look at me. Why?" He sat up slowly before turning to look at her. He just looked exhausted. It had been over two weeks now since the New York incident now and she wondered if he was getting any more sleep than he already had. "Clint, honey, what's wrong?"

He shrugged again as he pushed himself back against the headboard of the bed. "I'm really tired. I just wanna sleep."

"Clint, you need to talk to the doctors." She insisted as she slowly knelt on the mattress. He closed his eyes and shook his head, bringing his knees up to his chest again. "Clint, please, for your own sake you need to talk with them. They will help you." She touched his arm and he visibly flinched, causing her to pull back. "Hey, it's okay-"

"It's not okay!" He snapped suddenly, glaring at her. "I can't sleep because of the fucking nightmares, Remy! I-I know Coulson died, but every time I close my eyes I see you getting killed, and not by Loki!"

She looked slightly alarmed by this and moved off the bed slowly. "Clint, it's... they're just nightmares, baby. They're not real. You know this, right? The nightmares aren't real."

"You don't know that." He whispered. "There's a target on you and the Chimera Order want you."

"I know, baby, I know." Remy replied in a worried tone. "I know, but I got a protection detail right now, so I'm safe, okay? And... and when you're released from here, you're gonna come home with me and we'll protect each other, okay?" She ran her fingers through her hair as she watched him. "The nightmares aren't real. They're... they're just nightmares. They aren't real, okay?"

He shook his head, hiding his face against his arms as he hugged his knees to his chest. Remy stood there, unsure what to say or do. Shaking her head, she took a step toward the door. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

Clint just shrugged, still not looking at her.

* * *

"I don't even know what to say or do." Remy confessed as she brought May a glass of water. "I've never been in this position before, ever, you know?"

May took the glass from her and leaned back in her seat. It had been two days since Remy last saw Clint. He had told the nurses and doctors to keep her away now, and it was eating her alive that she wasn't able to see him. She had barely been sleeping before all of this, but now it was even more difficult to get even an hour of sleep since she found this out. After Remy had been told to keep away for a second time by the staff, May found her crying in one of the bathrooms so she forced the agent to go home early that day. Brock was informed of what was going on, but he was still planning on coming by after he was done at the office for the day.

"What happened in New York was new for a lot of us, Remy." May replied as Remy started plating up the Thai food they had picked up on the way home. Lucky sat at May's feet, whining at the agent as he begged for food. She ignored him. "Barton went through more than most. Did you really expect him to be fine after all of that?"

"Not really, no." Remy murmured as she set a plate in front of May. "I mean... I don't know? I... I miss him."

May watched the younger woman as another plate was set on the table. "Why haven't you gone to see Yamamoto? You've talked to him before, haven't you?"

"Wait, how..." Remy frowned. "How'd you know? Did Phil tell you?" May didn't respond and Remy rolled her eyes. "Of course he did. That man sucked at keeping my problems to himself."

"He was worried about you." May replied simply as she took a bite of her food. "He told me what had happened on your first and only mission, and he never anticipated all of that to happen, so he was worried."

Remy grumbled softly as she took a seat finally. "Yea, well, I only saw the doc once. And once was enough."

"Sure about that?" May asked. "You're not sleeping. You're at an even bigger risk at being attacked by the Order now since you're going to have a slower response time due to the exhaustion you're putting on yourself. If you don't start taking care of yourself soon you'll just end up in the same boat as Clint." She paused, looking over at her. "You do realize this, don't you?"

Remy poked at her food, not feeling very hungry. "Yea. I'm just... I dunno, the sleep isn't happening because these nightmares happen. I keep seein' Phil die, you know? And I keep screaming and Brock's not sleeping 'cause I'm not sleeping."

"Then you need to talk to someone, because you're clearly not handling it well." The older woman said as she ate. "Stop playing with your food and eat, Remy. I mean it."

Remy took a bite of food almost immediately, only to glare at May. "Trickster. I don't get how you can still treat me like a kid."

"You're still a teenager to me at times, Remy." May replied with a small grin. "Now eat."

* * *

She didn't go and visit him the next day, but mostly on the advice of May. The older agent had stayed at Remy's place until Brock arrived, but she had listened to Remy the entire time, giving advice when needed. That's why Remy adored May so much. She was pretty much the mother figure Remy never had, which was something the younger woman realized as she dealt with all of this. It was nice to have this voice of wisdom that wasn't an ex-boyfriend (Brock) or random coworkers who were just talking out of their ass (everyone in the office that worked with Remy).

Thankfully, the rest of the week went by without any issues. Hill managed to get Remy into contact with Tony, allowing for her to schedule a meeting with the billionaire that Saturday. The only problem was that Remy was going up to New York City alone, simply because Clint was still being held at the Triskelion and she really didn't want to be stuck in the car with Brock for almost four hours. So she dismissed him for the day – meaning she told him, rather bluntly, that she was going up to the city by herself and that he was free to do whatever the fuck he wanted.

And now it was Saturday morning. Remy had managed to get a few hours of sleep and some coffee into her system before dropping Lucky off at the neighbor's house and heading out to the car. She hooked up her iPod, a playlist ready for the trip ahead. She didn't really know what to think about this. Maybe it was crazy to talk to Tony Stark about this issue, because hell, he had his own shit to deal with. He didn't need to hear the woes of a lowly SHIELD agent like her. But when she called him the other day he seemed interested in helping her, though only under the condition that she prove to him at some point that she really had a photographic memory. That was going to be fun.

The drive felt like it took forever. The tower apparently had its own parking garage, thankfully not destroyed by the battle. She parked the car, keeping an eye on her surroundings as she hopped in the elevator and arrived in the lobby. Tony told her to check in with security before heading up to talk to him, just to make sure everything went smoothly.

Everything went smoothly until she approached the desk where an old security guard sat, his attention on a magazine instead of the monitors at his desk. Remy rapped her knuckles against the desk, trying to get his attention, but she was being ignored.

"Hey, hello?"

Nothing. He was focused on the magazine. And on the cover of that magazine was some conspiracy bullshit about the New York attack. Oh, that was classy to read.

"Hey, mall cop, you gonna look at me?" Remy tried again, knocking her knuckles harder against the desk. The guard glanced up at her, eyebrow raised as he lowered the magazine.

"Can I help you?" He asked gruffly. She rolled her eyes.

"I have an appointment with Stark. You gonna give me the pass to go see him?" She asked, leaning on the desk and looking incredibly bored now. "Because I don't have all day, you know? I don't get paid to read bullshit magazines and sit on my ass. Wouldn't that be nice, though?"

The guard frowned as he pulled up a clipboard, looking it over. "There's no name on here for today. You must be mistaken."

"Oh, please. Remy Black here to see Tony Stark." Remy tried again, clenching her jaw. This was frustrating her already, and the lack of sleep was not helping her temper. "He's expecting me."

"Sweetheart, you think you're the first broad to walk in here saying that?" The guard retorted as he picked his magazine back up. "Besides, he's with Ms. Potts now. So if you don't leave right now, I'll have to call the cops on you. So get goin' before I pick up that phone."

"Excuse me?" Remy growled. "Do not speak to me like that. I'm here to speak to him on a matter of business and-"

"Business?" He scoffed, cutting her off. "Is that what you're calling it? Sweetheart, go home. You have no business with Stark."

"Whoa, whoa. Call me sweetheart one more time and I'm gonna climb over that desk and put my foot so far up-"

The security guard's phone was ringing now. He glared at Remy, eyes never leaving her as he picked up the phone and started talking. Immediately he straightened up, glancing up at the ceiling as he murmured responses into the phone before hanging up. Clearing his throat, he pulled a visitor badge out of the desk drawer, scribbled something on it, then passed it to Remy.

"Take elevator A up to the 19th floor then go across to elevator B to the top floor." The guard grumbled. "Mr. Stark is expecting you."

"Wow, all it took was God Almighty watching from the heavens to do this, huh?" She retorted as she took the badge from him, clipping it to her t-shirt before turning away and heading to the elevator. Well that whole scene was fucking ridiculous and she was prepared to throw her shoe at Tony Stark for that mess.

* * *

**Closing Note: **We get to see Tony again because I honestly realized I wanted to write him into this story. He's a fun character and I imagine if him and Remy did become like, friends, basically hell would freeze over.

I also love writing May. She's one of my favorite characters on Agents of SHIELD and I figured she was basically the mother figure Remy needed because she wouldn't ever put up with Remy's teenage nonsense. The next chapter does have Tony and some Brock, because it's uh, Brock.


	42. Chapter 42

**Author's Note: **Have some Remy and Tony interaction. It's not as much as I originally planned, but it works.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Two**

Remy rode in silence as the elevator ascended up to the floor. It took forever and it was making her wish Clint was there. At least they could have worked a quickie in on the ride up. It had been an incredibly long and aggravating two weeks without really having him near her. And no, it wasn't just the sex she was missing, but the companionship of having someone nearby to crack jokes with or tease. Sure, her and Brock occasionally teased each other, but it really wasn't the same at all. Especially considering she had her ex sleeping in her bed on top of the blankets each night, just because she needed that little bit of comfort. She just wanted Clint back.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened when the floor was reached. Remy smoothed out her t-shirt and skirt before stepping out onto the floor. Well, the place wasn't as destroyed as it had been initially. She read the reports and heard rumors about how the top of his tower had been destroyed, but apparently Stark worked quickly to fix it up. There was still ladders and tarps everywhere, but it didn't look like a construction zone like she was expecting.

"Sir, your visitor is here."

Where the hell did that voice come from? Remy looked around, confused as Tony came into view. He was dressed casually in jeans and a Black Sabbath t-shirt. He looked her over for a moment before giving a nod of approval.

"Nice legs, Hard Drive." He commented as he gestured for her to follow him. She rolled her eyes and trailed after him, glancing around the room as they walked. It was a large open space with a personal bar on one side of the wall. The room was flooded with natural light from the tall windows that faced out toward the city. Well, shit, they were high up, weren't they? Remy didn't really have a fear of heights but when it dawned on her how high up they were she felt her stomach drop.

"Gee, thanks?" She replied as she took a seat at a table. There was a computer set up there, projecting a 3D diagram of the tower. It was quite impressive to see and she couldn't help but reach out to touch it. Something flashed before pulling up the floor plan to an apartment. She saw Clint's name at the top. "What's this?"

"Redesigning the tower." Tony said as he brought her a drink. "I thought, you know, if the kids ever wanted to sleep over they could have their own floor." He pulled up a room with Steve's name next. "Figured they'd want their privacy or whatever."

"Huh." Remy took a sip of the drink and grimaced. "So, uh, the reason I'm here..."

"Yea, why are you here exactly?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as he closed down the program. "I didn't quite understand it, but you need a security system in your apartment? Did you piss off the wrong person? Or did you memorize someone's pin number and now they're after you?"

"You're not far from the truth, actually." She muttered, pulling a notebook out of her bag. "I came up with some ideas for what I may need, but you probably wanna know why I need this, huh?"

"I like you, so yes." Tony replied as he took the notebook from her. "It's sad we didn't talk too much on the helicarrier, but that was difficult with Loki and then everything that happened. So hopefully now we can become the bestest of friends, right?"

She rolled her eyes before tossing the drink back, doing her best not to grimace or sputter at the taste. "That... holy shit. Strong." Her eyes watered and she was regretting the decision of tossing it back like that. Tony grinned and got her a glass of water.

"Why does a SHIELD agent, like yourself, need me, Tony Stark, to design a security system for your apartment?" He asked, setting the glass in front of her. "I mean, I don't mind being a consultant for SHIELD and all, but I don't normally do things like this."

"I get that, yea." Remy said once she was able to talk again. "Um, but, wow, I'll start from the beginning because this Robert Paterson bullshit is insane, let me tell you." Tony gave her a funny look and she frowned. "What?"

"How do you know a Robert Paterson?"

Wait, what. "No, how do _you_ know a Robert Paterson?"

It was a bit of a stare down between the two. A full minute passed before Tony cleared his throat. "About 15 years ago, this rich guy named Robert Paterson approached me at some party. I don't remember what it was for, probably a charity I donated money too, but he wanted me to design some weapons for him. No idea why since... I don't know, wasn't he rich to be rich? He offered me money and, uh, his 13 year old daughter up as payment. Granted, I couldn't actually have the daughter until she turned 18, but it was not quite the payment I was interested in at the time."

"Holy shit." Remy felt sick suddenly. "Really? He... oh God. Tony, that's... he was my dad. He was really going to give me to you? That's..." She covered her mouth. Tony grabbed a trashcan and passed it to her just in time for her to be sick in it.

"Probably shouldn't toss your alcohol back like that." He said, tone light as she emptied her stomach. Gross. "Well, okay, sure, I don't know what was going through his mind, but... yes, that's how I know of Robert Paterson. And then a few years later I heard he got arrested for funding homegrown terrorism. So that's probably why he wanted me to design the weapons." He sipped his own drink as Remy set the trash can down. "There's a bathroom that way." He pointed off to the left. "Go wash up before we keep talking."

She grumbled something and went off in that direction, ducking into the bathroom for about five minutes before returning. Thankfully she looked a little better. "No more alcohol."

"Right, okay." Tony grimaced as he set the trashcan outside on the walkway. "Noted. Anyway. That's how I met this Robert Paterson. And you say you are his daughter? Why is your name different then?"

"Oh my God, I have to get into this, don't I?" She sighed. "Okay, this is the short version. I basically handed Robert Paterson over to SHIELD because of his involvement with said terrorist group. They pretty much wanted to be the new HYDRA or something, I don't know. And then I was adopted by Phil Coulson, my name gets changed to what it is now, and for about 12 years I put that behind me until recent events at work has now caused this group to catch my scent and now they are after me."

Tony nodded. "Good condensed version. Sure, why not. Let's browse your notebook and see what you've come up with." He opened up the notebook, flipping through the pages of doodles and notes that she had come up with. "A silent alarm that notifies you via text if someone unwanted enters your apartment? Easy. Finger print recognition software on the doorknob? Eh, not hard. I just have to get the names of the people you are going to allow in there."

"What about their finger prints?" Remy asked as she sipped her water. Her stomach still felt gross.

"SHIELD has that on file. It won't be hard to get." He replied with a shrug. "No, I won't rig the place to blow up. That's a little too James Bond for me."

"You're telling a SHIELD agent that you're going to hack SHIELD."

"No, I didn't say that." Tony said, shaking his head. "Don't put words in my mouth, Hard Drive."

Remy rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever. I actually don't care that much anymore. A few months ago I may have ratted you out, but now? Eh." She sipped her water again. "I just want this shit to be over with. I want life to try to return to normal with my new apartment, my dog, and for my boyfriend to come back."

"Come back?" Tony repeated as he thumbed through the notebook again. "Is Legolas off on an adventure without you?"

She set the glass down on the table. "Surprised you haven't hacked SHIELD to find that sort of stuff out yet."

"I don't really hack SHIELD. I just... find the information I want by breaking through firewalls and the like."

"Tony, that's hacking. You're hacking." Remy shook her head. "Whatever, like I said, I don't care. But no, Clint's not out and about. He's... he's in D.C. at one of the SHIELD bases under watch in... a sort of psych ward place."

Now Tony was looking at her. She couldn't really read his expression, but it was a mix of worry and pity? It was a bit confusing. "He's been there since you guys dropped Loki off. And... well, he's not okay, Tony. I don't know what to do but he's not okay."

"No one's going to be okay after what happened." He muttered as he turned his attention back to the notebook. He wasn't flipping through it anymore or reading it, but it was giving him something to look at that wasn't her. "You're not okay after what happened, are you? And you weren't even fighting aliens or getting swallowed by giant alien whales or falling from a wormhole in the sky."

She bit her lip, watching him carefully. "No, but I watched someone I cared for a lot get stabbed through the chest by that maniac. And I tried my best to stop the bleeding, and you know, sometimes it's like the blood is still on my hands and hasn't washed away."

"Yea, that's probably never going to go away." Tony said shortly as he set the notebook down finally. "Hey, here's an idea. Let's not wallow in this depressing crap. I'm starving, so we should eat. And you look like shit so that probably means you're hungry too. Let's order food. The shwarma place is great and they'll deliver. Sound good?"

Remy didn't even get a word in before Tony was talking out loud to someone named Jarvis, placing an order for the two of them before he went to pour himself another drink. She watched him from her seat, wondering what he was thinking. Honestly, she wondered how the Avengers were really coping with all of this. She hadn't seen Steve since they met up in Fury's office that one day, and she never really spoke to Bruce or Thor. Hell, she hadn't seen Natasha either. But now here Remy was, sitting and chatting with fucking Tony Stark and she was starting to realize that even he was dealing with some form of aftermath from the battle.

"Hey, uh, Tony?"

"What, Hard Drive?" He looked up from his glass.

She rolled her eyes at the nickname. "So, uh, what's with the voice in the ceiling? I've heard it twice now and it's kind of freaky."

"That's just JARVIS." Tony explained as he started flipping through the notebook again. "He's an AI system I've installed here and basically anywhere else I happen to be. He's really quite handy."

"Thank you, sir." The disembodied voice said. Remy stared at Tony for a moment before turning her attention up to the ceiling. "Is there anything I can do for you, Agent Black?"

"Whoa, uh, no. That's just... that's just impressive." She replied with a shrug. "This is the sort of thing you'd see in Star Trek, you know?" Remy looked back at Tony, grinning. "It's more like _Stark Trek_, huh?"

"Oh, hah hah." Tony retorted, shaking his head as he brought the floor plan of the tower back up. "Like I've never heard _that_ before."

"Oh, come on, I'm hilarious." Remy said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Yea, keep telling yourself that, Hard Drive."

* * *

Remy spent all day up there. Tony was going to work on installing everything in her new apartment about two days before she had to move in which worked out perfectly. By the time she got home to her current apartment she was exhausted, but it was nice to walk in and be greeted by Lucky and Brock. He had already fed and walked the dog before he sprawled out on her couch watching some action movie.

"How was your adventure?" He asked as he paused the movie. "I see you survived the scary streets of New York."

"I did, thanks. No one tried to abduct me or shoot me, so that's nice." She replied as she toed off her shoes and picked up Lucky. The dog immediately began licking her face, excited to have her home. "Aw, puppy, did you miss your mama? Ugh, no, don't lick my mouth! Gross!"

Brock grinned and shook his head. "That dog's been pining for you since I got him from the neighbor's. He doesn't like being away from you all that much."

"Well, I like being loved, so it works out for both of us." Remy huffed as she put Lucky back down on the floor and wiped her face. He ran circles around her before jumping onto his bed to retrieve his stuffed dragon. "So, I'm off tomorrow, Brock. I'm staying in the apartment all day so like, if you wanna go and do... whatever it is you do when you're not stalking me, feel free to go and do that."

"I'm going out for a morning run with both Rollins." He told her as he stretched out on the couch. "I was thinking of taking the dog if that's okay. And I was also gonna see if you wanted to join us? We're meeting at seven."

"Oh God no." She shook her head. "Thanks for the invite but hell no to a morning run. Yes to taking Lucky. He seems to like Jack at least, so yea, take him out and let him get some exercise, but leave me to sleep away the day."

Brock just nodded as he relaxed back on the couch, turning his attention to the movie. Remy stood there for a moment, watching her ex lounge like that. He had the nerve to be there in loose fitted sweatpants but a tight fitted t-shirt? The hell was wrong with him? No, she couldn't look at him like that. She loved Clint and she missed him, that's the only reason she was even considering looking at Brock like that. But he was likely doing it on purpose because he almost flirted with her to some degree every day now, and their whole situation was almost being domestic.

Shaking her head, she ducked into the bathroom to shower. Maybe she could talk with Fury or Hill about getting this protection detail lifted before anything happened.

* * *

**Closing Note: **I figure Tony being a weapons maker and billionaire would have met many other billionaires and people like him, so that's why he knows _of_ Robert Paterson. And I wanted to make Paterson even more of a creep, you know, because he is a big creeper.

And yea, Remy was totally checking Brock out there in the last little bit, but she's a good girl. She just misses human companionship and good lord, Brock is not the one she needs to be thinking about right then.

Review and let me know whatcha think?


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty-Three**

It was the following Friday before Remy finally got the nerve to go try to see Clint. She had spent about a week away not visiting him and it was incredibly difficult, bordering on painful, actually. But she did schedule an appointment with Yamamoto to actually talk to him, and it went quite well. She didn't cry as much as she thought she would and he scheduled her to see him again. And now it was Friday after her shift and she was on the elevator to go see Clint.

She arrived on the floor and spoke to no one as she headed down the hallway. Her stomach churned as she approached the door. What if he really didn't want to see her and he became angry again? What if he was still as unstable as before? But at the same time, Remy actually felt a need to see him. Just to make sure he was still alive and functioning.

Shaking her head, she took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob, turning it slowly. It was unlocked. That was... weird, actually. Normally it was locked and someone would come let her in. She opened the door and looked in, eyes widening when she saw the empty room. So, where was he then?

"Looking for Barton?"

Remy slammed the door shut and turned around, pressing her back up against it. Dr. Yamamoto stood there, holding a clipboard and cup of coffee as he studied the young woman.

"Uh." She nodded. "Yea. I uh, yes."

"He left earlier today." He told her as he sipped his coffee.

"Did he leave or escape?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow. Yamamoto smiled.

"No, we actually allowed him to leave. He improved over the week." He replied, still smiling. "He said something about going home to see his dog? But that was at around noon today."

Her eyes widened and she nodded. "Oh, okay. Yea, great. Good to know. Thanks and have a good weekend." And she bolted after that, heading back down the hallway and to the elevator. Sure, it was hours later and there was a possibility he wasn't at her place anymore, but she needed to try and see if he was there. She missed him a lot now to the point of there being some physical pain.

She ignored everyone as she headed to the parking garage and to her car. Brock had taken his own car into work that day as he was starting to feel a little more at ease about allowing her to have more freedom without him having to follow her every step. It was still frustrating for her to have him around, even though at the same time he was a comfort to her, and after she came home from visiting Tony that first time, she insisted she didn't need him sleeping on her bed anymore and that he was free to have the couch (or floor, which he seemed to prefer) again. It was difficult to adjust not having the comfort of someone next to her again, but she knew it was for the best and it needed to happen.

The drive home felt like forever, but actually it only took the usual 15 minutes. She felt nervous as she parked her car, eyes scanning for Clint's vehicle, wondering if he was really there. She didn't see it as she climbed out of her car and locked it up. Maybe he took the bus to get here, or someone dropped him off. Deciding it didn't really matter, she headed into her building, fumbling with her keys as she approached the door.

Her hand was shaking as the key went into the lock. God, why was she so nervous all of a sudden? The knob turned and she stepped in, taking a deep breath as she looked around for any sign of Clint.

The sound of a dinosaur roaring scared the daylights out of her and she yelped, dropping her keys and bumping into the door. Lucky then came running at her from the bedroom, barking loudly as he greeted her. She managed to get herself into the apartment and shut the door before he could escape. Next she knelt down to pet him before removing her shoes and cautiously stepping toward the couch.

"Clint?" She called, looking around confused. Why was Lucky home with the television on if he wasn't here? She strained for a moment, trying to hear any other sounds coming from the apartment. The shower in her bathroom was running. Ah, that was where he was. She didn't want to scare him by going in there so she decided to start up some dinner. Remy made sure to lower the volume of the television before she headed into the kitchen. If he wasn't out in ten minutes then she'd check on him.

As she started to mix a salad she heard the shower stop. Remy bit her lip, still resisting the urge to check on him. She'd wait him out.

It felt like hours passed before she heard the sound of movement in the bedroom and someone leaving it. Finally she decided to turn around slowly, chewing on her lip when she finally faced him.

He looked better than before – not as exhausted or haunted, like maybe he got some sleep in the last week. He hadn't shaved yet, and she wanted to go over to him and touch his beard. It was a new look for him and she was starting to kind of liked it. His hair was wet from the shower and he decided not to wear a t-shirt apparently, which was fine for Remy. She didn't mind the view of him standing there in a pair of sweatpants.

Clint looked over at her and scratched the back of his head awkwardly, unsure what to say or do. "I kind of let myself in. Sorry I uh, didn't tell you. I didn't want you to uh..." He trailed off and shrugged. "I don't know. Sorry, I can leave if you want me too?"

"Why the hell would I want you to leave?" Remy blurted out, eyes widening. "I want you here, Clint."

"I attacked you and got mad at you, though... I told you not to visit." He mumbled as he looked down at his feet like a scolded child. "I was scared and didn't want to hurt you again."

She sighed as she leaned back against the counter. It was still to soon to approach him just yet. He still seemed a bit on edge so she kept her distance. "Honey, it's... well, it's not really okay, but at the same time I'm not mad at you or anything. I _want_ you here, all right? I don't want you to wallow in this idea that I don't want you around because of one incident."

"Yea, but-"

"I trust you, Clint." She told him as she turned back to finish up the salad. "Okay? I trust you not to hurt me or Lucky, and I still love you, got that?"

He didn't reply to that. She thought he was heading into the living room to finish the movie, but suddenly she heard footsteps behind her and his body pressed up against her as he wrapped his arms around her middle, burying his face against the back of her neck. It was a little awkward considering he was a bit taller than her, and not to mention the sensation of the beard scraping against her skin was weird, but she didn't mind one bit. She pushed the salad bowl away and managed to turn around in his grasp, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pulled him down to kiss his forehead.

"Hey, I love you, okay?" She murmured as she pulled back a bit. She was trying her best to remain calm and not smother him in kisses. It was difficult to hold back, considering that he had done a lot for her during their short relationship, and even in years past as friends he did a lot for her. And now it was her turn to do whatever he needed. "You are welcome to stay with me as long as you need too, Clint, even if it's just laying in my bed all day while I'm at work."

Clint nodded slowly, leaning down to kiss her softly. She welcomed the gesture, tightening her arms around him just a bit as she kissed him back. It was possible they would have stayed like that for a while had Lucky not jumped at Remy's legs, woofing softly at her so he could be fed. She pulled back from Clint with a sigh, rolling her eyes.

"This beast, I swear." She teased, shaking her head as she looked at Lucky. "You just wanna eat all the damn time, don't you?" Lucky barked and jumped at her again. "Seriously. You'd think he never gets fed." She glanced at Clint as she collected the dog's bowl and filled it with food. "If you want, go ahead and relax until dinner is ready, okay? I'm gonna feed him and then work on it. I was thinking a salad and uh, roasted chicken paninis. Sounds good?"

He nodded and kissed her forehead before he made his way over to the couch. She set the bowl down and Lucky pounced, happily eating his food. It was then she realized that maybe, just maybe, she should text Brock and tell him that his services were no longer needed. No, she really needed to do that _now_. After hurrying over to her purse and rummaging through her phone, she quickly sent the text to him before hurrying back to the kitchen. Clint watched the whole thing with some amusement.

"Everything okay?" He asked as he lowered the volume on the television.

"Oh, totally." Remy replied as she began working on the sandwiches. "I've had a protection detail for like, the last few weeks now so I was telling him he wasn't needed."

"Oh, who was it?" Clint asked as he sat up on the couch to look at her. Remy hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Brock Rumlow." She told him, looking over at him for a reaction. "He stayed here... and... you know what? I'm gonna say it."

"Say... say what?" Clint asked cautiously, frowning now as he kept his eyes on her.

"I used him as an overgrown teddy bear at night because I couldn't sleep because of nightmares." She told him quickly. "I allowed him to sleep on top of the covers in case I needed him because I could not sleep at all at times, and having him there provided some kind of comfort."

"Oh."

Remy looked over at Clint. He had a strange look on his face before turning his attention back to the TV. She was about to say something but the volume on the TV went up. Obviously he didn't want to talk now. Yea, maybe she shouldn't have dumped that on him so soon, but at the same time, she wanted him to hear it from her and not as a rumor that got around SHIELD.

She worked on the sandwiches in silence, not wanting to upset him anymore than she already had. Movement from the living room caused her to look up. Clint was standing up now, pulling on his jacket and shoes. Aw, shit.

"Clint?"

"Taking the dog out." Was the reply as he clipped the leash onto Lucky before heading out the door. The dog barked happily and tugged on the leash as the two left the apartment. Remy sighed and finished up dinner, plating the food and setting them on the table. She filled two glasses up with water before grabbing two beers from the fridge as well, setting it next to the plates. Then she sat and waited for him to come back.

It was about a ten minute wait before he came back in. Lucky barked excitedly, running to Remy as he was let off his leash. Clint removed his shoes and jacket before heading over to the table, sitting down in front of one of the plates. He didn't say anything as he picked up his sandwich and took a bite. Remy watched him, fingers tapping nervously on the table. After a few bites he finally looked up at her.

"What?" He asked. "I feel like you're expecting me to keel over. Did you poison the sandwich?" It was a bad joke, yes, but he didn't expect Remy to tear up at it. "Uh, sorry, babe, it was just a joke."

"Are you mad?" She asked as tears started rolling down her cheeks. "That Brock was here? It wasn't my idea – Fury made him do it because they thought the Chimera Order would strike in the aftermath of what happened, and... and you weren't available so Brock was chosen and-"

"Whoa, hang on." Clint put the sandwich down and wiped his hands on his napkin. "Relax for a second and uh, don't cry?"

She sniffed, using the napkin to dry the tears. "I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be? You uh, you're allowed to cry, but don't cry 'cause you uh, think I'm mad, okay?" He mumbled, looking a bit uncomfortable. "As for the Brock thing... it's a little weird but it's not like it was sexual or anything, right?" She shook her head and he sighed in relief. "Yea, so, just... I dunno, it is weird, but I'm glad you didn't kiss him or sleep with him."

"I didn't... I wouldn't. It's just..." A few more tears rolled down her cheeks. "It was hard adjusting to living in this apartment and knowing that you nor Phil would not be here. And it's still hard because of Phil, but when you were gone for those few weeks, it was just difficult, and now that you're here, sitting in front of me? I'm really hoping this isn't a sick dream or something because I'm so happy you're here right now." She let out a small laugh. "Even if I'm crying right now, I'm really happy."

"You're so weird." He mumbled, shaking his head as he took another bite of his sandwich. "So, so weird." He fed a piece of chicken to Lucky. The dog happily pounced on it before sniffing around the floor for more scraps.

Remy sniffed again, but this time she was smiling. "I'm moving in about a week. Only a few people will know about this, Clint, and you're one of them, okay? No one outside of Fury, Hill, Captain Rogers, and Natasha need to know, okay?"

"Not even Rumlow?" The tone sounded unhappy.

"No, he won't know, Clint." She insisted. "Like I said, only a few people. It's for my safety, okay? I only want a few people I can really, _really_ trust with this."

Clint nodded as he finished off his sandwich. He noticed she barely touched hers and gestured to it. "Are you gonna eat that, or..."

"As soon as I'm done staring at you I plan too." She replied, sipping her beer. Clint rolled his eyes before he started on the salad. "I really wanna make sure this is real and not some crazy fucked up dream."

"Creep." He grumbled as he drank his own beer. He looked her over before looking down at his plate. "Hey, so, I uh... I... love you too. I just wanted you to know that."

She frowned and rubbed one of her ears. "Wait, what?" Did he really just say that?

His cheeks were pink and he glanced up at her, looking a bit uncomfortable. "Said I... love you too. 'cause even though I tried to kill you and tried to turn you away, you didn't give up on me, so... so thanks."

"Oh, stop, you're going to make me cry again!" Remy said with a laugh, shaking her head.

He rolled his eyes, but he was grinning. "That's not hard, you know."

* * *

**Closing Note: **Aw yea. No angst in this chapter.


	44. Chapter 44

**Author's Note: **Good lord over forty chapters. I never anticipated the story getting this long. I'm still working on finding a good way to finish it but a part of me never wants to finish it. I've been watching Agents of SHIELD lately and thinking like, dear lord if Remy and Skye met poor Coulson would go gray or something from the intensity and sass of the two (and I imagine both ladies would be best friends too).

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Four**

Remy stretched out on her bed, yawning softly as Clint adjusted his position next to her. He had been spooning her from behind, keeping his face pressed against the back of her shoulder as she talked to him about anything and everything to keep him relaxed. But her arm was going numb so now she rolled onto her back. He tucked himself up against her side, resting his head on her shoulder as one arm rested across her middle, his hand rubbing her side slowly.

"Hey, you ever go camping?" She suddenly asked as she ran her fingers through his hair. His beard was tickling her shoulder, but she was starting to get used to it.

"Uh, define camping?" He asked with a frown. "I've... slept outdoors before. A lot. I guess that's camping? But do you have a different idea?"

"Camping with a proper tent, gear, and eating s'mores until you wanna die." Remy replied as her fingers moved from his scalp and down his cheek, stroking the beard. "Okay, also? The beard? Freaked me out at first but I'm really starting to dig it."

Clint rolled his eyes, turning his head to kiss her fingertips. "You only like it when it's between your legs."

"Well, okay, I like that a lot, actually, but I like it in general." She assured him with a grin. He just rolled his eyes again as he laid his head back on her shoulder.

They had been in bed for a few hours now. After dinner and taking the dog for a quick walk, they decided to head to bed. The second Remy had started to take her clothes off to change into pajamas, Clint literally pounced on her and they basically stayed naked and in bed since then. He had admitted to her that he wasn't ready to fall asleep just yet, nervous that the nightmares would come back and he would hurt her. So Remy spent an hour talking to him, telling him about the first book she memorized, the first boy she introduced to Coulson and how that ended fast because Coulson had the ability to terrify all of her dates when she was a teenager, and talked to him about wanting to go on a trip to the west coast to see some of the rain forests and all that.

And now she was curious about going camping with him.

"But seriously, camping. Tent. You and me." She began, looking back down at him. "How about it?"

"Why the sudden interest in camping?" Clint asked, adjusting his position again so he was practically on top of her, his chin resting against her sternum. "You been reading Jack London stories or something?"

"Pfft, no. I just wanna go and do stuff with you." She told him, wrinkling her nose. "Like, normal stuff. Where we aren't two people working for this big organization of agents where crazy shit is happening. I wanna go camping with my boyfriend out in the woods somewhere, eat s'mores, and dig a ditch for a toilet. And yea, even have sex outdoors."

"Even though this is the girl who told me she prefers desk sex to outdoor sex..." Clint teased.

"Hey, for you? I'm gonna make so many exceptions." She grinned, bringing her hand back up to the top of his head. "But really. We could probably bring the dog if we go for a few days. He'd probably like it."

"Or he'd be freaked out by like, the first flower he sees."

"Hey, that dog is a big ferocious hell hound." Remy argued playfully.

Clint stared at her. "He was terrified of a plastic bag outside, Remy. This happened a few hours ago and you had to save him from it."

"That plastic bag was being menacingly blown around in the wind!"

"Babe." Clint shook his head as he laid back on the mattress. He stretched his arms out, letting out a yawn before looking back at her. "You're taking this bed to your new place, right? Please say yes, because this mattress is amazing."

"Well, I'm gonna need a bed, so..." She took advantage of the change of positions, throwing her leg over him as she straddled his thighs. "Yea. I'm gonna get rid of the couch, 'cause that thing is awful. And... um, I need to start packing this week because I think I move in Saturday or Sunday. Tony's gonna put the new security system in on uh, Thursday, though. So I gotta pack this week when I get home from work."

Clint nodded, one arm behind his head to prop it up while the other went to her side, gently caressing her new scar. She flinched at the contact, so he started to pull his hand back. Almost immediately she grabbed his hand and put it back there.

"Sorry, it's... still getting used to it. Doesn't hurt anymore, though." She murmured, keeping her hand over his. "Um, but... yea. Moving. I was thinking um, there's a walk-in closet and it's pretty big. If you... if you want, there's gonna be room in it..."

"Are you suggesting I sleep in your closet?" He teased, trying to lighten the mood of the room as his fingers caressed the scar gently. "I don't really want to be Harry Potter, you know."

"Aw, honey." She smiled at that, shaking her head. "I... was gonna suggest that if you wanted too, you can keep some of your clothes or whatever in that closet... just... in case you needed too."

Clint nodded slowly as he understood what she was saying. "And what if I needed to keep more than a few things here?"

"Well, I was gonna say if you straight up wanted to move in, go for it. It'd be nice to have company, but I wasn't sure if you wanted to keep your own place or not." She told him. "But uh, I don't want to like, make you uncomfortable or anything."

"Eh, no, sounds reasonable to me." Clint assured her as he sat up suddenly, wrapping his arms around her as he kissed her softly. She sighed against his lips, draping her arms over his shoulders as she kissed him back. His hands were on her back, rubbing circles slowly as he felt her relax against him. "You really need to take some time off."

"I got biiiiiiiiills." She whined softly. "I mean, I got vacation days lined up and all, but..."

"Take a few days off and we'll go camping." He told her, trailing his fingers up her spine and causing her to shudder. "I'll get your shit packed up for you for the move while you're at work. All you gotta do is tell me what's being donated and what's staying, okay?"

"I can't ask you to do that..."

"You're not asking me, babe. I'm telling you I'll do it." Clint insisted. "I'm not going back to work for a while, okay? I gotta have something to do when you're gone to work all day. So obviously packing up your apartment to move is the best thing for me to do."

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Is that sarcasm?"

"What? No!" Clint exclaimed, looking confused. "I will honestly pack up all your shit for you while you're at work." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I... really don't want to be alone and doing nothing, okay? Being here, knowing that I'm uh, safe and all, it's gonna be the best for me, I think." He wasn't looking at her at this point, instead looking down as he rested his forehead against her shoulder. She sighed softly, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair again.

"Hey, hon, it's okay." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "If you really want to do that, awesome. I'll go through the place tomorrow and pull out the shit I'm gonna get rid of. And I'll get you boxes and all that so you can pack. All right? Sound like a plan?"

Clint sighed and nodded, pulling her closer to him. They stayed like that for a few minutes – Remy running her fingers over his scalp slowly while Clint's hands stayed on her back, rubbing circles again. He finally straightened up and looked up at her. She didn't say anything or move, watching him carefully as he laid back on the bed.

"Clint?" She asked quietly. He sighed and rubbed his face.

"I'm good, babe. I'm good." Clint replied as he dropped his hands to his side. "So, camping. Got any ideas on where and when you wanna go? And we're gonna have to pack more food than just s'mores, you know. Like, pancake mix and stuff, too."

* * *

The weekend went by quite fast for the two. They did normal couple things: grocery shopping, walking the dog, arguing over how much garlic to put in the pasta for dinner (Remy insisted there is such thing as too much garlic, but Clint doesn't believe in that), and getting things packed up for the move. And it was going smoothly for the most part until Sunday night when Remy was faced with the task of packing up Coulson's room.

That was the monster she didn't want to fight by herself.

Clint was happy to help her out with that task. They placed his books, knick knacks, and other things into boxes that would be placed in a storage unit temporarily. Most of his clothes, except for his Captain America t-shirts and suits, were going to be donated, as well as the bedroom furniture. She planned to keep the pictures out and place them around the new apartment, simply because most of the pictures were of the two of them at different parts of their life together. Remy's graduation from high school and college, birthdays for the two of them, and random day outs they did together. Clint looked over the photos, making it a point to ask Remy about each one. He was trying to keep her somewhat distracted from the overwhelming burden of packing up the room.

"What's this one?" Clint asked, holding up another photo. It showed a younger Remy and Coulson outside of Harvard University. "You weren't some kid genius, right? Like, you weren't enrolled at Harvard when you were 12 or whatever, right?"

"Uh, no?" Remy looked over at him, frowning as she looked at the photo. "Oh, that day. It was probably a month after I came into his care. See, I was still creepy thin in that photo."

"You're a baby in this photo." Clint replied with a grin. "Aw, look at how much of a baby you are."

She grinned and took the photo from him. "I was 15. Phil actually had a weekend off and asked what I wanted to do. I was a snarky kid so I said to take me to Harvard, because why not? And he actually did. It was quite a drive, but you know, it was fun. We did those sort of things a few times a year. A spontaneous trip to somewhere if SHIELD allowed it."

"Sounds like fun." The archer said with a smile. "Seriously, though. Random trips like that tend to make the best memories."

"Well, it was fun up until we decided to try oysters and got horrible food poisoning."

"Oh."

"Yea, it kind of stopped being fun after that." She told him. "I mean, it was fun, even with the vomiting in a hotel bathroom, and we obviously survived. And it makes for a fun story." She carefully packed the photo away and bit down on her bottom lip. "I really miss him, you know? I don't really know what to do because he's not here, and he was the one person besides you that I was able to count on for help inside and outside of SHIELD."

Clint patted her on the shoulder before handing her another couple of photos. "You're gonna be okay. I'm here and we're gonna take care of each other now, all right? We'll both be okay."

She let out a shaky breath, nodding slowly. He could tell she was trying not to cry in front of him and it kind of broke his heart a little. He scooted over to her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her forehead as she curled up against him. "You can cry in front of me, you know. I'm not gonna make a lame excuse and run off because it's making me uncomfortable or something, okay? I'll just... give you tissues or something."

"Does it make you uncomfortable, though?" She mumbled against his shoulder, sniffing loudly. "Me crying. Does it make you uncomfortable?"

Clint shrugged a bit as he rubbed her back slowly. "Uh, I'm... getting used to it?" Was his reply. "I mean, I don't like seeing people cry for the most part, but especially you, mostly because my response is that if someone is crying, it means that someone else needs to get their ass kicked." She chuckled at that and he grinned. "Seriously. And I'm pretty sure there's a lot of people who need to have their asses kicked since you're crying."

Remy pulled back from him and nodded, wiping at her eyes. "I can make a list for you if you want."

"I'm pretty sure I know the list already, babe." He told her as he pulled her back to him for another kiss. She wrinkled her nose and kissed him back, resisting the urge to just climb into his lap and cling to him. Instead she pulled back again to pack a few more things into a box.

"Gonna put arrows through Jameson and Paterson's skulls?" She asked. "I'd like that, you know. See those two fuckers dead because they have made these last few months hell for me." She looked over at him. "Should also get Loki and do the same to him, you know? After what he did to you and Phil..."

Clint shrugged as he started to get to his feet. Remy stayed on the floor as she looked up at him. Aw, fuck, did she upset him by bringing up Loki? She reached for his hand, trying to get him to sit back down, and surprisingly he took hold of her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"That dog has been quiet for too long." Clint told her with a grin. "I'm going to check on him to make sure he hasn't destroyed anything, all right? And then I'll take him outside before coming back to help you, okay?"

Remy nodded, holding onto his hand as she started to stand up. He helped her up, pulling her to her feet before wrapping his arms around her and burying his face against her shoulder. She giggled, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You dork."

"Yea, yea. You love it." He mumbled against her as she tried to pull away from him. "Aw, babe, no."

"Aw, hon, yes." She said, shaking her head. "Gotta check on the dog. Make sure he didn't go rogue and steal nuclear launch codes or something."

* * *

**Closing Note:**

I'm incredibly lazy about updating and I'm sorry, so I'm glad y'all have stuck with this so far! I started this four months ago and never imagined people would be reading it, so big, BIG thank you! I want to try and get more updates in before I start up school again in about three weeks.

Also had fun writing this chapter because really, dialogue, ridiculous dog, and Coulson memoriesssss.


	45. Chapter 45

**Author's Note: **Slowly working toward like. The end of this obnoxiously long story that I never anticipated getting this far. I imagine there's gonna be another 10-15 chapters. But I figure that I write my chapters kind of short? So it's... realistically less chapters? I have no idea. But enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Five**

Work was kind of back to normal starting Monday. Remy had to go in early for self defense training with Autumn Rollins that morning, which was something she was sort of looking forward too, but at the same time, she wanted to stay home with Clint and look after him. The poor man didn't sleep at all due to constant waking up from nightmares. And because of that, Remy barely slept at all because they decided to stay on the couch and watch a few John Hughes movies as a distraction. Lucky was the only one who slept that night; he ended up sleeping between his two owners on the couch while they watched movies and did a running commentary throughout.

And now it was lunch time. She got her ass kicked in her lesson that morning. Autumn didn't seem very happy to see her, and Remy couldn't figure out why. It's not like she spoke to the woman outside of work, except for that one night she went over for dinner. Remy didn't see any reason to dwell on it. Clint was back and that was the only thing on her mind, really. Nothing else was as important as that.

She picked at her food as she stared at her computer screen. Before she spent almost a week eating lunch at Clint's bedside, she had taken to eating in the office she worked in. It was weird to be out and socializing with the other agents after what happened with the New York incident. It was known that her and Clint were an item, and apparently after what he did under Loki's control it made Remy an outcast by default. Whatever. She really did not care about them at this point considering what else was going on in her life.

"Why are you eating by yourself?"

Remy was relieved she didn't inhale pasta she had in her mouth. She turned to the door, glaring at who was there. "Brock, seriously, what the hell? I could have choked on my food!"

"It's not like I put you in a headlock, you know." He retorted as he walked in. She rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to her computer. An email came in from Fury, but she decided to ignore for now.

"Yea, I would have punched you in the nuts for that." She shot back. This was exhausting already. She sighed and set her bowl down. "What do you want?"

Brock shrugged as he took a seat in a vacant chair. "Wanted to check up on you."

"Right. What's the real reason?"

"What? Barton's out of the psych ward and stayin' with you, so I'm worried about you." He said. "After what he did to you that first time? I have every right to be concerned, you know."

Remy rolled her eyes. "Never said you couldn't be concerned, Rumlow." She replied sharply, doing her best not to throw her lunch at him. "But you know, I don't like that tone you have going when you said Clint's name."

"I'm just worried about you." Brock shrugged. "That guy tried to choke you to death and now he's in your apartment. Are you sure he's safe to be around?" Remy rolled her eyes. "Hey, that guy just needs some order in his life. He should probably get locked up for longer than a few weeks, you know?"

Well, that kind of struck a nerve with Remy.

"Clint's pretty much one of the only people I trust at this point, Brock!" She snapped as she began to lose her patience. "And I really don't want to talk about this, okay? Is there a real reason you're here, or is it to be a pain in my ass? Because I didn't sleep last night and I'm really not in the mood for this. Stop talking about Clint like that or I'll kick you in the balls, okay?!"

"Why didn't you sleep?" He asked with a frown, staying seated to prevent any attack. He also wanted to now change the discussion in a different direction because she was starting to get a bit scary. Remy closed her eyes and counted to ten before turning to open the email from Fury. She glanced over it, noting that he was requesting a meeting with her promptly. Sighing, she replied to the email, saying she'd be up in a few minutes. "Remy?"

"I have to go speak with the Director." She replied as she shut down her computer.

"Wait, why didn't you sleep?" He asked again. "Did Barton do something? Are you okay?"

"Oh my God, Brock." Remy rubbed her face and sighed. "We stayed up late watching John Hughes movies, okay? That's all. Now I have to go see the Director." And without waiting for a reply, she grabbed her purse and lunch before leaving the office. Thankfully Brock didn't follow her as she made her way down the hallway and to the elevator. On one hand, the concern he had for her was nice, but on the other, it was frustrating how he was trying to insert himself into her life like that.

Grumbling, she checked her phone as a way to distract herself. And she was glad she had as there was a text from Clint. Fuck. She immediately opened it, wondering if something was wrong. To her surprise, and amusement, it was a photo of Lucky with a circle of boxes around him. The poor dog looked confused as he sat in the middle, head cocked to the side as his attention was on Clint. The text simply read, _He kept trying to help. And by help I mean chew on everything._

She grinned and shook her head as she sent a text back. _I'm glad you're both making progress._

_We totally are. Cap got a hold of me and said he'll help on move day. Nat will be there too. _Was Clint's fast reply.

She hit the floor number for Fury's office and looked at her phone again, still grinning. _You're replying way to fast, hon. Are you working or texting?_

_Working!_ And then there was a picture Clint took of himself packing Lucky into a box. She shook her head and put her phone back in her purse. The elevator dinged when it arrived at Fury's floor. With a sigh, she exited the elevator and made her way to his office. She knocked on the door and took a step back, waiting for him to respond.

Fury called for her to come in and she did. He was seated at his desk and on the phone, talking quietly to someone. She didn't want to know what it was about so she made her way over to the window to look out at the view of the river. Weirdly enough she could see her new apartment building from there. It was a nice view, however, seeing all she could see from there. A small part of her wouldn't mind having that big office again, but she knew there was no reason to have it again given the work she was now doing.

"I have more files for you." Fury told her after hanging up the phone. Remy turned to face him.

"Sure that's a good idea, Director?" She asked as she made her way to one of the chairs in front of his desk. "Considering what all is happening."

"There's been nothing to suggest the Order is in the area right now, or that they are planning something." He told her as he pulled a folder from his drawer. She stared at him. This was unbelievable. He was going to have her put more of SHIELD's secrets into her brain when her life was still threatened. It didn't matter if the Order was dormant for now – they would strike again and she knew this. Hell, he knew this, but he was still willing to make her more of a risk.

Remy shook her head and took the folder from him. "These... are a lot of numbers, sir."

"Get to memorizing them. I have more things for you after this." He replied, leaning back in his chair. There was at least a minute of silence as Remy read over the numbers, noting how they were categorized under columns and various headings on the paper. Then Fury spoke again. "How's Barton doing?"

"As well as can be." She muttered as she focused on the numbers in front of her. "He's packing up the apartment right now. Captain Rogers and Romanoff are going to help with the actual moving process, though."

"Did Stark pull through with the security system?" Fury asked as Remy tucked the papers back into the folder before handing it back to him. He then handed her a second folder.

"He's coming Thursday to install it." Remy told him as she flipped open the folder. More schematics of weapons and vehicles. Awesome. More fuel for Chimera Order should they capture her. She sighed as she flipped through the papers, resisting saying anything before she went to work studying the images. "So, do you have any information on where the Chimera Order is at this point? Because I'd like to know if I can get the mail without risk of being abducted, you know."

"Not currently. We managed to get a few people on the inside, however." Fury replied as he waited for her to finish. "And before you ask, no, you're not going to know who they are."

"Wasn't gonna ask." She muttered as she studied the schematics for a few more minutes before handing it over. "There. All done. Way to add fuel to the fire, sir."

"You'll be fine. Just don't do anything stupid." Fury said as he took the folder back. He closed the drawer and looked at her again, as though he was contemplating something. Remy looked back, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

"What sir?" She asked. "I feel like you're trying to peer into my soul."

Fury shook his head. "Nothing. You're dismissed. Take the rest of the day off."

"Okay, wait, you do know I actually need to work, right?" Remy exclaimed, looking surprised. "And despite being in fear for my life, I do like working here! I got bills and stuff to pay and taking time off isn't helping!"

"It's a few hours, Agent Black." Fury told her, his tone firm as he pointed to the door. "You know there's cameras everywhere, don't you? Security told me about the 'discussion; you and Rumlow had in the office. Threatening a member of the Strike team isn't the wisest thing, you know."

"Please. Like I could actually inflict damage on that guy." She grumbled, looking away from him. She went quiet, chewing on her bottom lip as she tried to pick her next words carefully. "Look, I know you don't really care a lot about the personal lives of your agents, but Barton is hurting and I really didn't need to hear Rumlow be an asshole about it, okay? It's bad enough everyone else mutters about it under their breath when I'm around, but I don't need to hear it to my face!"

Fury listened to her, keeping to himself until he was certain she was done. By the way she was glaring at him, breathing heavily as she tried to get herself to relax told him she had said what she needed to say.

"Are you finished?"

She managed not to roll her eyes. "Yes sir."

"Good. Take the rest of the day off. That's an order, understand? And when you come back tomorrow, no more fighting Rumlow."

"But-"

"Even if he starts it by being an asshole." Fury continued, now glaring at her. "God, what is with the agents here acting like children? You're dismissed, Agent Black. Go home."

Remy huffed in annoyance but did what she was told. Fine. She'd take the rest of the day off and enjoy it then. Not having to hear the whispers about Barton or the rumors that he was still in lock up, never to see the light of day was just fine by her. It was frustrating to hold her tongue when she heard it, and now with the way Brock had acted earlier, she was certain that it wouldn't be long until she finally snapped at someone.

Fuck, this was all just ridiculous now. A part of her just wanted the Chimera Order to come get her so they could put this all to an end. Fury had people on the inside now, did he? She was curious how he even managed that, and she also wondered who he picked. But at the same time, that detail didn't matter to her. She was so close to just placing an advertisement on Craigslist for these assholes to come to her at this point. Why should she continue living in fear like this?

Grumbling, Remy made her way from the office and down to the parking garage. Yea, she was still scared. And yea, she made sure to be aware of her surroundings as she made her way to the car. There were security cameras everywhere – this was a government facility, so of course there were cameras everywhere. So if something was to happen to her, there was footage to show it happening. But she wasn't that concerned at being attacked at a SHIELD base.

She glanced into the backseat of her car before unlocking it. That was a habit from being a teenager. Coulson had drilled car safety in her head when he was teaching her to drive and he was insistent that she check the backseat of her vehicle before getting in. Remy made it a point to never keep a blanket or any sort of cover back there, just in case. And thankfully nothing was out of the ordinary as she climbed into her car and headed out of the garage. It only took 15 minutes to get home, which was fine, because it gave her time to text Clint and ask him if he wanted any lunch.

He responded rather quickly, wanting a burger and fries. Remy was totally fine with that and picked up lunch at the diner they had eaten at when they first started working together. It only took another few minutes to get home after that and she was feeling happier knowing she'd be home to eat lunch with her boyfriend.

She made her way into the apartment, pausing when she saw what was before her.

Clint was asleep on the couch with Lucky asleep on his chest. Okay, this was probably the sweetest thing Remy had ever seen and she was quickly snapped a few photos of what was before her. After putting the bags of food on the kitchen table and changing into something more comfortable, she returned to the couch and hesitated. Should she wake him up? He looked peaceful while he slept and Remy couldn't bring herself to disturb him.

Lucky, however, didn't care. He started to stir as he smelled the food that was brought in. When he saw Remy, he let out a happy bark, thrashing around on Clint and waking the poor man up. The dog barked again and scrambled over Clint, successfully kicking him in the face with his back paws as he headed for Remy.

"Oh, no, puppy!" She giggled and picked the dog up, carrying him away from Clint before putting him on the floor. "Aw, Clint, I'm sorry."

Clint sat up and grunted, rubbing his face before looking up at her. He gave her a tired smile as he got to his feet and approached her, wrapping his arms around her and giving her a kiss. Lucky woofed at them, not wanting to be ignored since he could smell the food on the table.

"I'm hungry so let's eat. I wanna know why you're home early." He mumbled sleepily before making his way to the table. "I honestly thought the text was a dream, but I'm glad it wasn't. So tell me why you're home early and if I need to kick someone's ass, okay?"

Remy just smiled and followed after him. Okay, maybe leaving early wasn't really a bad thing then.

* * *

**Closing Note: **Yea. Brock is kind of a dick now. A jealous one because now he can't hang out with Remy. What a creeper.

I'm slowly getting to like, the climatic part of the story. It's taking me way longer than I ever imagined.


	46. Chapter 46

**Author's Note: **In all honesty, I wrote this chapter because I really wanted Clint to cook and for some Avengers hanging out.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Six**

The rest of the work week went smoothly. Brock stayed away from her after that day, which was just fine by her. All Remy wanted to do was work in peace. Her office mates left her alone, allowing Remy to get her work done despite the occasional random text from Clint. She did get a call from Tony on Thursday when he arrived to install the security system. It was mostly making sure he was at the correct place. After they finished up, she texted Clint to tell him Stark was around if he wanted company or something, and after that she went back to work.

Friday finally arrived and Remy was far to excited. She would be moved into the new place by Sunday and the camping trip could start to be planned. As soon as five o'clock rolled around, she happily shut down her work computer and headed home. Clint had texted her saying he'd have dinner ready, which was fine by her. She was feeling pretty tired and just wanted to cuddle with him on the couch tonight.

She let herself into the apartment and kicked her shoes off. "Weekeeeeeend! Time to party!"

Clint and Lucky looked up from their spot on the couch. The dog barked and jumped off Clint, kicking the archer in the face. "Dammit, dog!" He grunted, rubbing his face as he sat up. Remy grinned and picked the dog up, giving him a hug and kiss before putting him back down. "Oh, so I get kicked in the face and he gets a kiss? I see where your love lies, woman."

She giggled and went over to him, throwing her arms around him and giving him a kiss. Clint grumbled, returning the kiss before he pulled away and went to the kitchen. Remy kept grinning as she followed after him. "Whatcha cookin' for dinner?"

"Uh. Food." Clint told her as he checked the pot in the oven. Remy peered over his shoulder and he gently pushed her away. "Stoppp. It's a surprise."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine. It smells delicious so far. And since you're being weirdly secretive, I'm gonna take a shower, okay?"

"Yea, yea. Dinner will be ready in an hour, I think." Clint told her as he gave her a dismissive wave. She stuck her tongue out at him before disappearing into the bathroom. She decided to take her time washing her hair and even shaving her legs, because why not? After she felt clean enough, Remy pulled on a comfortable shirt and sleep shorts before heading back out to the living room. Clint was back in the kitchen, working hard at whatever it was he was cooking. He was glaring at a cookbook as he worked, grumbling quietly to himself about things.

"Okay, that's it. What are you cooking?" Remy demanded as she headed into the kitchen. "You look frustrated and I'm worried."

"I'm fine." Clint grumbled as he tried to push the cookbook away. He didn't want her seeing the recipe. "Go sit down. I'll be done soon."

"Okay, fine, just don't burn down the kitchen." She replied, shaking her head before heading to the living room. Clint grumbled again as he continued whatever it was he was doing. She decided not to bug him because he seemed stressed out enough with the cooking. After settling in on the couch, she changed the channel to a random television show, watching it for a while.

Okay, so she didn't know what Clint was cooking, but it was really smelling amazing so far. Occasionally she'd turn to face the kitchen, trying to get an idea of what he was making, and every time she'd ask, he'd tell her to stop asking.

Finally, after what felt like _forfuckingever_, he announced dinner was ready. And it was rather adorable how proud Clint looked as he served up the dinner. "I made uh, beef... something. I don't know how to really say the name."

"Okay, I'm really excited that you cooked, but at the same time, slightly worried that you can't pronounce the name." She teased as she went to look at the cookbook. "Aw, hon, beef bourguignon? You looked through that Julia Child cookbook, didn't you?"

He looked a little embarrassed as he sat down at the table. "I found it while I packed up the place and thought it'd be special to make you a nice dinner for your last weekend here."

Remy closed the cookbook and walked over to him, cupping his face in her hands before leaning down to give him a kiss. He still looked a little embarrassed as he kissed her back, mumbling something against her lips. She pulled back and sat down beside him, grinning. "What did you say?"

"I said can we eat? I've been working on this for _hours _and I'm starving." Clint whined as he reached for a fork. Remy let out a laugh as she took a seat beside him, shaking her head as she reached for her own fork. "Aw, stop laughing at me, babe."

"S-Sorry!" She giggled, trying to get herself to relax. "You're just... dammit, Clint. I love you. You make my life so much better now."

He just blushed and looked down, grumbling again. Remy reached over and patted his hand lovingly as she took a bite of the food. "Oh, fuck, this is amazing."

"Is it? It turned out okay?" He asked as he took a bite. "Aw, yes. I did something amazing, didn't I?"

"Oh my God, Clint, yes. You're gonna get it tonight." She grinned as she continued to eat. "I wasn't planning on any sex this weekend because, y'know, moving and being busy, but fuck that. You've earned it."

"Glad my cooking can get me into your pants so easily." Clint teased as he ate. They went quiet as they finished up their servings. Remy immediately got up and started to clean up the kitchen. "Man, you really wanna get started on sex, don't you?"

"Damn right I do. Finish eating and we'll get right on it." She ordered, grinning widely.

* * *

They woke up bright and early Saturday morning to get ready. Nat and Steve were arriving around noon to help them get packed up while Remy did a walk with her current landlord to show that the apartment was still liveable and not destroyed. Then she had to go over to the new apartment and did another walk with her new manager to make sure that everything they saw in the apartment was there before she moved in, just so she didn't have any problems if she ever had to move out. She snapped photos of any dents or scratches on the walls and floors just to cover her own ass should the time come that she left D.C., but for now she was pretty excited about the new apartment.

Clint had stayed back at the apartment with Lucky. A donation truck was stopping by to pick up the furniture she wasn't taking – the awful couch, Coulson's bedroom furniture, and one bookshelf. Everything else was heading to the new apartment. By the time Remy got back, Steve and Nat had arrived. Clint went to get the moving van while Remy stayed back and chatted with the other two Avengers.

Once the van arrived, Remy dropped the dog off at the neighbor's place before her and Nat focused on grabbing boxes while Steve and Clint handled furniture. Thankfully it didn't take them all too long to get it all packed up. And once the apartment was bare, Remy stood in the doorway for a moment, scratching her head as she stared at the empty room. It was weird seeing it like this. Ever. She never imagined she'd be doing this, but with Coulson gone and everything else going on, there really was no point in keeping such a place. Her new apartment would suit her just fine, but she knew she was going to miss this place. It was probably the only home she really knew, and she realized how sappy that sounded when she muttered it to herself.

"You okay?" Clint asked as he came up from behind and startling her. Remy jumped and turned, staring at him. "Whoa, babe, calm down. I didn't mean to scare you."

"Ugh, sorry. I'm just... thinking." She replied wearily, rubbing her face. Clint watched her for a moment before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.

"It's okay, babe." He whispered, kissing her cheek. "You need a few minutes, or are you ready to get the dog and go?"

"Ugh, let's just get the dog and go." She sighed. "If I stay here too long I'm probably gonna cry and I really don't need that today."

"Yea, okay, sounds good." He said with a grin as he pulled away from her and headed to the neighbor's door. While Clint chatted briefly and handed her some money, Remy took one last look at the apartment before shutting the door. Well, fuck. It was some sort of symbolic moment in her life when she did it, but she really did not want to dwell on it too long. She had a new place to get moved into.

Once Lucky was collected, the two headed down to the van and Remy's car. Clint and Steve were going in the moving van while the two ladies and dog went in the car. It was a quiet drive over. There really was nothing to say. Once they arrived, Remy dropped Lucky off at the day care across the street before they started to drag everything to her new place. It was kind of entertaining to watch Steve carry three heavy boxes of books while Clint struggled with just one, but Remy kept that observation to herself.

It only took maybe two hours to get everything moved into the apartment and the van returned. And while Clint took care of the van, Remy ordered a couple of pizzas as a thank you to Steve and Nat for their help. While the two Avengers stayed back at the apartment, Remy retrieved Lucky from the day care and took him to his new home. Almost immediately the dog ran for Steve, trying to get the super soldier's attention.

"Ugh, sorry, he loves people." Remy said as she shut the door. "Honestly, you'd think he was starved for attention, and he really isn't. He just loves people."

Steve smiled as he knelt down to pet the dog. "Nothing wrong with having a social dog."

"I guess, but man, you probably didn't hear the story of how I ended up with him, huh?" Remy said as she took a seat on the floor. Nat grabbed a few bottles of water and joined them. Lucky perked up when he saw the female assassin and bounded over to her, sniffing at her curiously while Remy told them what happened that day and how Lucky came under her care.

Steve seemed rather shocked by the whole ordeal; Nat didn't seem surprised.

"Clint did that a lot when we went on missions together." She told them as Lucky climbed into her lap, licking at her fingers. "He tried to pet every dog he saw."

"That's what you get from the story?" Steve exclaimed, staring at Nat in disbelief. "She was nearly kidnapped! People could have been killed!"

"And yet the only people dead were Chimera Order goons." Nat replied calmly as she petted Lucky. "While it might have been foolish for her to ramble on like she did, it was genius of her to distract them long enough for SHIELD to arrive." The Black Widow complimented her? Remy thought her heart would burst from that.

"Okay, thank you." Remy said as she uncapped her water bottle. "I mean, yea, it was probably stupid, but I didn't want Clint or someone getting hurt. I love that guy and I'd feel guilty if something happened to him."

"Happened to who?" All three looked up as the archer walked in. He froze, a guilty look on his face. "What did I do?"

"Nothing, hon." Remy assured him. Clint didn't look convinced.

"Right, okay. I feel Nat judging me already." He grumbled as he took a seat on the ground beside Remy. "Okay, seriously, are you gonna get a new couch yet?"

She rolled her eyes. "First you complain about the old couch, now you're complaining that I don't have a couch! There's just no pleasing you, is there?"

"Well if your old couch wasn't a concrete slab, I wouldn't have complained!"

As the two bickered, Steve leaned over to Nat. "Is... this normal for these two? Or should we be putting a stop to this?"

Nat shook her head as Lucky climbed out of her lap and went to Clint, barking loudly. "This is basically what they do. They talk, bicker, make out, have sex, eat food, and repeat the process. So don't think to much about it, okay?"

The couple playfully bickered until Remy's phone rang, alerting her that the pizza man had arrived. Clint refused to let her answer the door, citing that there was a reason her apartment was secret now, so Nat took the money and went to retrieve the pizza.

"Okay, if I had known I'd end up being under house arrest, I may have reconsidered moving." Remy sighed as she grabbed a slice of cheese pizza. "I have to be able to answer the door if like, I have packages or something."

"Yea, but you never know with pizza delivery people." Clint said with a mouthful of pizza. The other three rolled their eyes.

"It might be a good idea to get some sort of... camera on the front door that links to your apartment, Remy." Steve suggested. "I know you had Stark secure your apartment, but that might be one more thing just in case."

"I guess? I didn't think of that." Remy frowned. "I'll call him tomorrow and ask. Maybe he'll do it for free again, but I know he also wants to... play with my brain or whatever, so I may have to strike a deal with the guy to get him to do it."

"I hope it's not a sexy deal." Clint grumbled as he drank some water.

"Stark's not that big of a creep, Clint." Nat assured him. Clint didn't look convinced.

"Just go with her if she has to visit him." Steve said as he ate. Remy was glad she ordered three pizzas because Steve had already eaten half of his. Clint had his own pizza while her and Nat shared one. "He might be less trouble if you're there."

"I guess, but she might enjoy the weirdness of Stark." Clint replied as he glanced at Remy. "She's pretty charming, you know, and if he flirts with her she might flirt back."

"Okay, as long as we stop talking like Remy's not standing right here." Remy finally said, looking annoyed. "Because she's totally up for taking suggestions as well as making them, but only if we include her in the conversation, got it?"

The two men agreed while looking rather embarrassed about excluding her from the conversation like that. Nat just shook her head and fed a piece of crust to Lucky.

* * *

**Closing: **Yea no I really wrote this because Clint cooking something intense like beef bourguignon was entertaining, and because I remember when my friends made it a few years ago. It seriously takes forever to make and thought, hey, Clint really needs something to do.

And deep down if Steve knew how to really work a cellphone, him and Remy would probably be texting all the time about who knows what. I imagine she'd get a kick out of him sending pictures and emoticons to her all the time.


	47. Chapter 47

**Author's Note: **Right so I am now in my last quarter of college right now and I'm taking five classes! So updating will totally be slower than ever and I really apologize for that! I'm wanting to update whenever I can, but it will be few and far between, so don't give up on me, please! Enjoy this sort of fluffy chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Seven**

Two weeks passed since Remy moved into her new place and Clint sort of moved in. He still had his old apartment, but most of his clothes were at her new place now, hanging up in her closet or in the two bottom drawers of her dresser. And he still wasn't planning on returning to work any time soon, so he often cleaned the apartment, took care of Lucky, and even cooked dinner every night. Once he discovered the Julia Child cookbook he was determined to go through every recipe. And so far he was pretty successful in what he cooked. Remy was just happy that he was finding something to do while she was busy at work, and she also enjoyed coming home to dinner each night.

He was still having trouble sleeping from time to time. Remy learned this after the first two weeks at the apartment when she couldn't sleep some nights. There was this guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach as it dawned on her that she moved out of Coulson's apartment and let it go to someone else. It wasn't her apartment to begin with, and this all seemed to happen so fast. It was only a few weeks after his death before she was getting rid of his things and home.

Clint was awake and followed her out of bed, sitting next to her on the floor and pulling her into his arms while she cried over whatever it was that upset her now. That was something he hadn't seen her do since he came to live with her: cry over Coulson. Yea, she teared up a bit when they were packing up his room, but she got over that pretty quickly. But it was a bit worrying to him how little she cried, so any time she cried now, he'd just hold her and keep quiet until she was done.

She leaned into him, looking uncomfortable as she hugged her knees to her chest, her breathing ragged as she tried to calm herself down. Clint just kept a protective arm around her, resting his own head against hers as he kept her close to him. He wanted to ask what set this off, but he also wanted her to talk when she was ready. He didn't want to force anything out of her.

"I feel so guilty right now." Remy mumbled, her voice tight as fresh tears rolled down her cheeks. "I shouldn't have moved on so fast. I shouldn't have gotten rid of his stuff like that either, you know?"

Clint could only hug her in response. He wasn't about to say something that could upset her further. Remy straightened her legs out, taking a few deep breaths as she wrapped her arms around Clint.

"I'm sorry for waking you up." She whimpered, wiping her face with the hem of her t-shirt. "You need your sleep and I woke you up."

"Nah, I was already awake." He told her with a shrug and tired smile. "You're not keeping me from anything. I just want to make sure you're all right."

"No, noooo, you need sleep." Remy insisted as she started to stand up, letting out the occasional sniffle. "I have tomorrow off. Wanna go shopping for a couch with me? But we have to at least get a few hours of sleep before that, okay?"

Clint stood up along with her, taking her hand in his as they went back to bed. "Sure, a couch would be good instead of everyone sitting on the floor."

"Yea, that's kind of what I figured." She said as she crawled back under the covers. Clint joined her, pulling her close to him as he kissed her softly.

"You gonna be okay?" He murmured, rubbing her back slowly as he held her close. She shrugged, wrapping her arms around him as she buried her face against his chest. They laid there in silence for a few minutes as Remy managed to calm herself down, only sniffling occasionally. "I think you're gonna be okay."

She nodded, keeping her face hidden against his chest. She didn't want to talk anymore. It was just too exhausting at this point and she wanted to try and sleep.

Clint didn't feel like sleeping, however. He was tired, yes, but also alert now that his girlfriend was in distress. "Wanna also talk about camping when we get up tomorrow? I've already started looking into places..."

* * *

They really didn't get a lot of sleep, but that was okay. Couch shopping wasn't a real intense thing to do. It was entertaining to watch as Clint nearly fell asleep on every couch he sat on, and Remy was pretty sure they would get kicked out of the store. And after a few hours of this, she finally decided on the couch that Clint actually did doze off on. She left him there to rest while she went to pay and schedule delivery before returning to collect him.

After picking up lunch, they headed back to her place.

"You know, feel free to take a nap. I'm going to clean up a bit." Remy said as they entered her apartment. Lucky rushed at them, barking happily as he realized they were home. "I'll take him out. Go lay down for a bit, hon."

Clint shrugged wearily as he grabbed the leash. "Nah, it's okay. I'll take the dog. You uh, plate the food?"

"Oh... kay?" Remy raised an eyebrow as she set the food on the table and grabbing plates. Clint was always insistent on taking the dog out; Remy couldn't remember the last time she actually did it, because before Clint came back, it was usually Brock taking Lucky out. So, were they expecting her to get kidnapped while Lucky was peeing on a bush or something? Because that seemed like the likely reason. Shaking her head, she plated the food and changed into more comfortable clothes while she waited for them to return.

The two came back after about 10 minutes. Remy had turned on her iPod to some Disney music while she waited, humming to a song from Mary Poppins as she made the bed and collected their dirty laundry. Lucky ran over to her, jumping at her legs as he tried to get her attention. Clint kicked his shoes off and removed his jacket before heading to the table. Remy went over to join him.

"I don't want to come off as aggressive or anything." She began as she took a seat. Clint looked up at her with a frown. "But uh, why do you insist on taking the dog out? Why don't you let me do it?"

He stared at her for a moment, mind racing as he tried to process his answer. He was still tired and this was not the question he really wanted to answer. Remy watched him as she ate her food, wondering what he was going to respond with.

"It's uh, normal?" He replied, though it was more of a question than an answer. "I mean, after... after uh, everything that's happened in the last few weeks... its kind of a normal thing for me to do."

"Normal?" Remy repeated, frowning. Clint nodded, not looking at her as he started to eat.

"Right now, after everything that's happened? All I want is something... normal." He told her as he ate. "I never signed up to deal with fucking magic and aliens when I joined SHIELD. Never remember seeing that in the fine print."

"Understandable." Remy agreed. "I don't recall my paperwork saying I'd be the target for some crazed militia group." Clint gave her an unamused look and she looked sheepish. "Okay, yea, no, there was fine print stating that you may piss someone off to the point where they get a hit out on you."

"Right, but nothing about aliens and magic and shit coming out of the sky." He mumbled, closing his eyes as he shuddered at the memory. Even when he slept during the day, he still woke up shaking and sweaty from a nightmare that brought back everything that happened in New York and with Loki. He pushed his plate away and rubbed his face. "I'm not dealing with this well."

Remy wanted to respond with, "_No, not really, because you look like the walking dead_.", but she liked to think that after all of these years, she had better manners than that. Instead she reached over and put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as she thought of what to say. Clint put his hand on top of hers, squeezing it back.

"Okay, you're handling it as well as someone who has never been through shit like that before, Clint." Remy replied. "Like, I mean, think about it. The doctors don't know how to handle this because like, _no one_ has dealt with this sort of thing before. Except probably Thor, but he's not much help being away on Asgard. And even then I bet he'd just want everyone to drink and be merry to celebrate a victorious battle or something."

"We did eat shwarma afterward to celebrate." Clint said with a small smile. "But that was a Stark's request."

Remy nodded. "Yea, so, uh, don't beat yourself up over this, Clint. It only happened a few weeks ago. Don't expect all this to go away so fast, all right?" She stole a bite from his plate; Clint made a face and pulled his plate back to him, making a show of trying to cover it from further attacks from her fork. "Maybe... and don't get angry or mad or something, but maybe you should look into going back to talking to Yamamoto or someone about this?" He looked ready to protest and Remy hastily added, "Not to stay there again but to just talk! Like, a once a week session or something!"

"I don't... I'll think about it." Clint shrugged as he started eating again. "No promises. I hated it because they made it seem like it was all my fault that everything happened. I don't need that. None... none of it was my fault, Remy. I don't need people assuming that it was."

"I know none of it was your fault, Clint." She assured him. "The only person at fault is Loki. And that asshole is far away from here."

"I know that!" Clint replied, his tone surprisingly sharp. Remy raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "I know he's at fault. But every time I tried to talk to someone, they turned it around on me and made it sound like I was at fault!" He clenched his fists and shut his eyes, taking a deep breath as he tried to calm himself. "I believed them, you know? I thought it was true. I thought it was all my fault and I wasn't able to work it out that it wasn't until after I told you to stop coming."

"Clint, hon, you don't have to talk if you don't want too." Remy said. He looked up at her and nodded, swallowing heavily as he tried again to calm himself. "It was just a suggestion. If talking to the doctors really upsets you, then don't do it. If walking the dog and cleaning up after him is what makes you happy right now, go for it. I'm not gonna stop you."

"Heh, thanks?" Clint scratched the back of his head. "I mean... I'll bring you along when I take him out tonight, okay? It's just... it grounds me to be doing something so mundane. That's why I clean and cook for you. It's just... it's normal."

"Well, trust me, I like you doing normal stuff." She told him as she reached over and patted his arm gently. "I really do. And I hope I didn't come off as awful or anything when I asked about it. So let's finish eating and we can go cuddle on the bed or something. And I'll clean the kitchen this time."

"Oh, yea, because there's such a big mess." Clint replied sarcastically as he started eating again. All there was to clean up was the takeout boxes and plates they used. Not a big mess at all. "Maybe next time I cook you'll clean?"

"Umm, maybe. I make no promises." Remy said with a grin as she finished eating. "But the sooner you finish eating now, the sooner I can clean up and then the sooner we end up cuddling on the bed."

"Naked cuddling or clothed cuddling?" Clint asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Whatever you want, hon. It's your choice." She told him, still grinning.

* * *

He definitely chose naked cuddling. Remy was fine with that, because any chance to just be close to him was something she cherished at this point. Because given all that had happening and what could happen, she wasn't going to turn down any chance to be close to him.

Clint had himself wrapped all around her like an octopus, his face pressed against her neck as he rested. He wasn't asleep – that still eluded him for now – but he had his eyes shut as he clung to her. Remy rubbed his back slowly with one hand while the other stroked his hair. She wasn't ready to fall asleep just yet either, but she was a little tired.

He lifted his head up to look at her as he slowly unwrapped himself from her. She watched him carefully, not making any sudden movements. He gave her a lazy grin before leaning over to give her a peck on the lips.

"Hi." He murmured, gently bumping his forehead against hers. She wrinkled her nose at that, but was grinning nonetheless.

"Hey." She purred, dropping the hand that had been playing with his hair. "You need something?"

The archer shrugged as he kissed her again, wrapping his arms back around her. "Nah. Just wanted to kiss you."

"You've been kissing me all night." She teased as she pulled her other hand away, stretching her arms out as best as she could. "Thought your lips would be numb by now."

"Pfft. I like kissin' you." He replied before letting out a loud yawn. Remy raised an eyebrow at that. "And I'm not tired of kissing you either."

"Oh my God, but you _are_ tired, aren't you." She stated, eyes widening. "If you feel like sleeping, please sleep. Please."

"Not tired." He grumbled, shaking his head stubbornly. "I'm just gonna stay awake and stare at you all night."

She rolled her eyes. "That's not creepy at all."

"Aw, babe."

"Aw, honey." She replied, trying to dial back the sarcasm. "Get some sleep. Everything is okay. Do not force yourself to keep awake because we're both safe here and nothing is going to happen, okay? Please do not fight falling asleep at a somewhat normal time."

"But-"

"Clint. You need to sleep. Everything will be fine." She insisted, running her fingers through his hair slowly. "I know you're wanting to be all super sexy agent boyfriend, but you need sleep. And I need you to sleep."

"Yea, but-"

"Clint."

The archer grumbled but gave up arguing with her. Instead he chose to keep himself wrapped around her, adjusting his position just enough that he could rest his head against her shoulder. She rolled onto her side, managing to drape one arm over his side as she closed her eyes. It took a while, but eventually she could hear his breathing even out with an occasional quiet snore interrupting the quiet of the apartment. Thank fucking God he was asleep. And it was only 11pm.

* * *

**Closing Note**: I wanted to touch on some of Clint's angst, because, really, dude is gonna have angst. And yea, they had sex. They seem to do that a lot, it seems.


	48. Chapter 48

**Author's Note: **I'm uploading this chapter because there seems to be a flood of new readers and that makes me incredibly happy! I'm finding it more enjoyable to write a few chapters a day instead of doing homework (oops).

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Eight**

Clint did manage to get himself back to a normal sleep schedule. Granted, he became a light sleeper, waking up at any strange noise in the apartment or sudden movement on the bed, but he was actually sleeping during the night and staying awake during the day while Remy was at work. It only took a few days, and now after a whole week and a half, he was back on a regular schedule for the first time in almost a month. The events of New York were still haunting him – Remy would have been worried if he _wasn't_ having nightmares about it – but Clint was improving even more now since he was sleeping at night. He was even letting Remy take the dog out from time to time instead of just doing everything himself.

It was a huge improvement.

And Remy appreciated being able to take Lucky out for a quick walk. She didn't want to be stuck in the apartment all the time because seriously, what was the point in moving to a new apartment if she was going to end up being under house arrest? It took a few small arguments with Clint to get him to ease up on some of the 'rules' that had somehow been implemented so that Remy could have _some_ freedom again. She refused to be kept locked away when she wasn't at work. She grew up being locked away most of the time and like hell was that going to happen again while she was an adult.

Even if she _was_ an adult with a crazed militia group after her, that still didn't mean she should be under some kind of house arrest.

They had a routine now. Remy would wake up first, get the coffee started and breakfast made while Clint rolled out of bed. Then she'd go to work and he'd clean the apartment, take care of the dog, and do grocery shopping whenever they needed it. And when she came home, they would both work on dinner together and clean up the kitchen. It was a nice routine to have now that things were kind of returning to some kind of normal for them.

And that was what Remy was thinking about when she walked into the apartment. How life was kind of settling down for them. Yea, they had been together for a few months, both still kind of new with this relationship thing with each other, but they had known each other for five years. They knew enough about each other to avoid pushing the wrong buttons, but they also didn't know enough about each other to learn new things almost every day.

Like when Remy opened the door at that moment and shrieked at the sight of beardless Clint. That was definitely new because he had that beard when she left that morning for work.

He looked surprised by the greeting as he looked up from his spot on the new couch.

"Hi?"

"Your beard!" She squeaked, covering her face in embarrassment from her reaction. "It's gone!"

"Yea... about that." Clint rubbed his cheek. "Uh, I was going to head to the range at the office tomorrow to uh, start working out again. I don't want to fuck up my aim or get rusty, you know?"

Remy nodded as she set her things down. "Uh. Yea, okay. Wait, why is your beard gone?"

"One track mind much?" He teased, raising an eyebrow. She stuck her tongue out at him; he did the same. "I didn't want rumors spreading that I went crazy or some shit while I was gone. And this doesn't mean I'm returning to work, you know. I just want to shoot some arrows."

Remy nodded. "And you shaved your beard because... you didn't want them thinking you went crazy and stopped taking care of yourself." She restated for her own clarity. "Even though that's totally not true."

"Exactly." He agreed as he got up to greet her with a kiss. She touched his cheeks, trying not to grin at how smooth his skin was. Okay, maybe not having the beard now was a good thing. She missed just touching his skin without the beard being in the way. "Babe?"

"Nothing, just liking your face now." She grinned. "I mean, I've always liked your face, and I liked it with a beard but now I realize how soft your skin is without a beard."

He raised an eyebrow before pressing a kiss to her forehead and pulling away. "You nerd."

"Oh, you love the attention." She replied as she pulled him back to her, kissing both his cheeks before she kissed him on the lips. He smiled into the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to him as they stood there for a few minutes. They only pulled apart when Lucky realized Remy was home and started barking at her.

Clint grumbled and broke the kiss. "I was about to take him outside. That's probably what he wants."

"Well. I still have my shoes on. I'll do it." She said as she pecked Clint on the cheek. "Wanna come along? We can be all cute and romantic, like holding hands and all."

"Mm. Nothing says romance like taking the dog out so he can piss." Clint replied, rolling his eyes as he pulled away to grab his jacket and shoes. "Give me a minute and I'll be ready."

Remy nodded as she retrieved Lucky's leash. The dog pulled toward the door, desperate to go out. She rolled her eyes and gently tugged back, making him wait while Clint finally joined them. They headed down the stairs and out to the sidewalk where Lucky immediately went to the first bush he saw, content to relieve himself right then and there. While the dog did his business, Remy grabbed Clint by the front of his jacket and pulled him close for a kiss.

He allowed this, wrapping one arm around her waist while the other grabbed hold of Lucky's leash – just in case the bugger decided to try and run off on them. After a minute he pulled back, raising an eyebrow. "If I had known you'd be kissing me a lot, I would have shaved a lot sooner."

"Nah, I liked the beard." Remy replied with a grin as she pulled away from him. Lucky was pulling on the leash again, wanting to head down the sidewalk. "C'mon, let's get all his wiggles out so he'll sleep through the night."

Clint put his arm around her waist as they walked along with Lucky leading the way. Remy kept him on a somewhat tight leash, not wanting the dog to get too far ahead of them, but she allowed him to sniff every damn tree and bush they came across. The couple made small talk during this, coming up with ideas for their camping trip as well as agreeing on recipes for upcoming dinners. Clint had another idea if the camping didn't work out for them, but he refused to tell Remy what it was, even after she said she'd withhold sex from him (which was a complete lie, honestly, she loved sex with him far too much to deny either of them). But he was adamant that he wouldn't say a word unless their camping trip fell through.

Yea, because being cryptic like that was exactly what Remy wanted right then.

They walked around the block, occasionally saying hi to people just out of politeness. Clint pulled away from her occasionally to say hello to all the dogs he saw. Even Lucky was into this, tail wagging as he inspected every dog Clint approached. Remy opted to watch, considering last time she tried that she ended up a gun pointed at her.

The walk ended up taking longer because of what Clint was doing. Once they got back to the apartment, Remy was pretty content to just take her shoes off and relax on the couch for a bit. Clint fed Lucky before he started collecting ingredients for dinner.

"Everything okay, Remy?" Clint asked, looking over at her. She nodded from her spot on the couch, stretching out to rest her feet up on the armrest.

"Jus' tired." She mumbled as she closed her eyes. "Typing shit into a computer is exhausting." Clint hummed in agreement as he brought her a glass of water. "Aw, honey."

"Drink some water and relax. I'll take care of dinner tonight." He said as he leaned over the back of the couch to give her a kiss. She managed to set the glass down before reaching up and pulling him down on top of her. Clint grunted in protest but allowed himself to be dragged down, making sure not to hurt her on his way down. "Y'know, I'm not gonna get dinner done if I'm on top of you..."

Remy shrugged as she started kissing his neck, sliding her hand up his t-shirt. "Dinner can wait. I just wanna touch ya."

"Oh, is that all." Clint teased as one hand went to her thigh, sliding up her skirt slowly with a grin. "Fuckkk, I love that you wear dresses or skirts all the time to work... makes my life easier."

She smirked, nipping gently at his neck. "Anything to make it easier for you."

"Aw, you really do love me, don't you?" He replied with a grin, fingers hooking on the waistband of her panties and pulling them down slowly. She squirmed, lifting her hips up so he could get them off. "So, we gonna break in the new couch already?"

She laughed at that, sinking back into the couch. "God, I don't know, are we? Are you about to fuck me on this couch? 'cause I gotta say, I didn't get any sort of warranty on it." She pulled him toward her, kissing him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He fumbled with his pants, trying to kiss her while also trying to get naked. It wasn't very coordinated, and at one point he lost his balance and bumped his forehead a little too hard against Remy's. "Ow, ow, okay, wait."

"Aw, babe, sorry." He whined softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "I'll make you feel better."

"Just don't break my new couch, Hawkeye." She teased. He rolled his eyes and groaned.

"I hate life because you know that name." He lamented, shaking his head.

"Hon, everyone knows that by now." She giggled, reaching between them to pull at his pants. "Get these off now. Hawkeye doesn't ever miss his mark, right?"

"Oh God, no jokes either, please. You're gonna kill the mood."

"Oh, please."

* * *

Thankfully, the couch did not break in any way.

They had dinner, took the dog for another long walk, and then returned to the apartment to do any last minute cleaning before heading to bed. Clint told her he had been researching places for camping while also making a list of what they would need. He also told her that he knew some people who would probably lend them some gear, but that they still needed a few of their own things. They agreed to do their shopping after they got their next paychecks.

She reached up to rub his cheeks while they relaxed in bed. He had an arm draped over her hip, gently caressing her skin as he closed his eyes. Sighing softly, she leaned in and kissed him.

"Mhmph, what?" He mumbled, opening one eye slowly. "Thought I wore you out."

"Oh, you wore me out." She replied with a grin, bumping her nose against his gently. "I just wanted to kiss you."

He covered his mouth as he let out a yawn. "Mhm, is that all?"

"That's all. Now I want you to sleep." She grinned, kissing his forehead. "Sleep, okay?"

"Babe, it's only after eight." He told her, wrinkling his nose. "Don't you think it's a little early for bed?"

She shrugged at that. "Nah. We're already in bed, you know? Might as well sleep."

"You should send an email to your boss to get time off so we can actually go camping." Clint mumbled as he kissed her forehead. "We've talked about it but haven't done shit. Maybe Cap will puppysit 'cause I don't think we should take the dog."

"Yea, yea, I'll go do that now." She sighed as she threw the covers back and climbed out of bed. After pulling on Clint's t-shirt, she took a seat on the couch and turned on her laptop. "Should I tell my boss I need a few days off to have crazy outdoor sex?"

"That might be considered inappropriate and get you fired really fast." Clint replied as he pulled on his boxers and joined her on the couch. "And you don't want to get fired, okay? You want a short vacation, not a permanent one."

Remy grumbled in response as the laptop warmed up. "Hey, Stark would give me a job."

"Stark is the definition of inappropriate."

"Okay, he's not _that_ bad." Remy said as she opened up her email. "I spent a few hours with him and the only thing he really said to be that could be deemed inappropriate was him complimenting my legs."

Clint put his hand on her thigh, running it up and down her skin as he raised an eyebrow. "Well, he's not wrong. You do have nice legs."

"That's my thigh, perv." She retorted, slapping his hand away as her email loaded. "I was wearing my polka dotted skirt that day and so he only saw from my knees down." Clint rubbed his hand and Remy grinned as she turned her attention to her laptop. "And speak of the devil and he shall appear. Stark sent me an email."

"Hope it's not nudes." Clint mumbled as he leaned into her, wrapping an arm around her waist as he rested his head against her shoulder. Remy rolled her eyes.

"I doubt it." She replied, shaking her head. "I'll check it in a few minutes. Gonna send the email first and then I'll read it."

"And then?"

"Then we... I don't know?" Remy grinned, shaking her head as she typed up the email to her boss and sent it off. Really, it was short and to the point, just asking for a few days off in two weeks. They wanted to go camping starting on Sunday and go til Tuesday, because no one else would really be out at that time so the two would be pretty much alone out there in the woods for the most part. After the email was sent, Remy opened up the one from Tony.

"_Hey, Hard Drive. I don't know when the next time I see you will be so here's my schedule for the foreseeable future._" The email read. "_Check the attachment and hopefully we can get together so I can play with that brain of yours. Love, Stark Trek._"

"Aw, he even signed it with the dorky nickname I gave him." Remy said with a grin; Clint could only roll his eyes. She opened the attachment and turned to give Clint a kiss on the forehead as it loaded. "Don't be jealous of Tony. I love you the most."

"Yea, sure." Clint mumbled. She could only grin as she turned her attention back to the screen. Almost immediately the grin faded.

"The fuck did he send me?"

"I was right? It's nudes?"

"No, it's not." Remy murmured as she looked over the screen. It wasn't dates or anything in the attachment, but it was a continuous stream of numbers and letters filling up several pages.

* * *

**Closing note: **Mildly cryptic? I don't know. I've written a bit of the next... phase of the story. I don't know how else to word it, but after this phase is written then this story is done. I can't estimate how many more chapters there are, but it might be over 60? And then I'm working on an Agent of SHIELD story that will take place after this, so I'm not done with Remy and Clint just yet. Thank you for reading! Let me know whatcha think.


	49. Chapter 49

**Author's Note: **I'm totally uploading this instead of doing schoolwork. And I'm actually almost done writing the story for sure. And a part of me honestly wants to like... take the time to do a re-write of the story. Shorten it and everything. But I don't know if I'll actually do that.

* * *

**Chapter Forty-Nine**

"Hard Drive, how lovely to hear your voice at eight thirty at night." Tony said into the phone. "Though normal people are getting ready for bed at this time."

"Tony, you're not normal." Remy shot back. "What the hell was that email about?"

"A test, that's all." She could almost sense him shrugging at that. "Next time I see you I want you to list those numbers off for me. You know, prove you have that magic brain or whatever."

Remy sighed. "They're just numbers, right? Not like, launch codes or some shit?"

"They're just numbers." Tony told her. "Don't worry. Now, why did you call? Missing me tons? Sorry, though flattered, I am spoken for."

"Oh my God." Remy rubbed her face. "No, I only called because _hey,_ Tony Stark sent me a fuckin' cryptic email. And cryptic is not what I want these days."

"Well, it's just numbers." Tony insisted.

"Good."

"Is that all you needed?"

"... Yes."

There was an awkward silence for a minute before Remy finally said a hasty goodbye and ended the call. Clint was still sitting beside her on the couch, listening to the call. Remy closed down her laptop and grumbled. "Fucking cryptic billionaire genius assholes."

"So..."

"He's just being an asshole." Remy sighed. "Let's go to bed. It's nothing to worry about."

Clint nodded and stood up, stretching his arms out as he yawned. "Let's take the dog out one last time."

She nodded and got up to put some clothes on. Clint did the same, pulling on jeans and a t-shirt before grabbing his jacket. Lucky was in his bed, tail wagging happily as he watched his owners. Once Remy was dressed and grabbed the leash, he jumped up and bounded over to her, barking excitedly. She knelt down to pet him, scratching behind his ears before attaching his leash to his collar.

"You are such an excitable little guy, aren't you?" She grinned, kissing Lucky on the forehead. "You're such a cutie. How do you get by in life with being so cute?"

"Easy." Clint replied as he made his way to the two. "Life loves me because I'm so cute."

"I was talking to Lucky." She teased as she straightened up. Clint pouted at her. "Aw, I think you're cute too, hon."

"Glad someone does." He mumbled as they left the apartment and headed outside. "I'm gonna place a reservation on a campsite tomorrow if that's cool. And then we can see what gear we need."

"I will probably need decent hiking shoes or something." Remy replied as they headed down the sidewalk. Lucky pulled at the leash, sniffing at everything he saw.

"We can look for those tomorrow." Clint said as he took her hand in his as they walked along. They went quiet pretty quickly, just enjoying each other's company and the fact that no one else was on the sidewalk with them. After a few minutes of silence, he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?"

"That's... a random question." She frowned, stopping as Lucky found a bush to investigate. "You're not going to throw a black hood over my head and dump me somewhere, are you?"

"No, that's... no, wait, what?"

"Sorry, uh. Washington or Oregon? Or France." She shrugged.

"Why am I not surprised about the first two?" Clint replied dryly. Remy let go of his hand and gave his arm a pinch. "Ow, ow! Okay, uh, why France?"

Remy shrugged. "Spent time there in a school when I was 12. It was actually really nice and I got to learn French, visit the countryside, and see the museums."

"Huh."

"Yep. Now, what about you?" She asked as Lucky pulled on the leash suddenly. Okay, apparently he wanted to go on a longer walk tonight. They headed down the sidewalk again while she waited for Clint's answer.

He only shrugged in response, taking her hand again as they rounded the corner to the next street. "I dunno. I think so long as I have someone to come home too that doesn't completely hate me, I'm good living wherever."

"Well, so long as you don't mind feeding Lucky and putting up with me crying occasionally, you are more than welcome to stay with me." Remy assured him, giving his hand a squeeze. "And I like having you around 'cause you cook."

"Glad to know you keep me around to cook and care for the dog." He teased. "And not because I'm good in bed or anything else.

"Oh, I keep you around for other things. I just really like that you cook." She grinned as she leaned up to give him a kiss on the cheek. He turned his head at the last moment, their lips meeting, causing Remy to blush and giggle.

"You're kind of adorable right now." He murmured against her lips before pulling away. "All giggly and blushing. I don't think I can handle it."

"Well, get a handle on it." She teased as Lucky sat down on the sidewalk in front of them, looking up at them curiously. That usually meant he was tired and done being outside. "It's time to head back anyways. Lucky's tired."

Clint nodded as they turned around. Lucky wouldn't move, deciding to be stubborn and ignore Remy's commands of moving. Rolling his eyes, Clint bent down and picked the tired dog up. He was rewarded with having his face licked. He wrinkled his nose; Remy laughed.

"Whatever." Clint mumbled as they headed back to the apartment. "So, you really okay with that weird email Stark sent?"

She hummed, giving him a nod. "I really do think he's just being weird. I mean, he was wanting to do it when I first met him, but it was never a good opportunity." She sighed as they approached the building's door. "It's just terrible timing, I guess. Weird that he'd send it now when I'm starting to feel scared again about what's going on." She unlocked the door, holding it open so Clint could step inside first. "But really, I'm not gonna think too much on it."

Clint nodded, still holding the dog as they headed up the stairs and to their floor. "You don't have to think about it until Stark calls you at like, three in the morning some random day and demands that you recite it for him."

"If he calls me at three in the morning, then he better be dying and that those numbers are the only way to save his ass." Remy retorted as she unlocked the door to the apartment. "I mean, I think it's... flattering in a weird way that Tony fucking Stark has taken some weird interest in me? Like, I think people would kill me in to be in this position. But at the same time? Oh my god. How does one cope with this?"

Clint shrugged as he set Lucky down on the floor and unhooked the leash. "You just cope, that's all. If he becomes weirder then just punch him in the face."

"I should do that." She agreed as she locked the door behind them. Then she yawned. "Fuck, let's go to bed. I'm tired."

* * *

It was payday and two weeks since that weird email from Tony. Bills were paid, groceries bought, and Remy and Clint did a quick shopping trip to pick up what was needed for a camping trip. They were able to borrow the rest from Hill, because apparently she enjoyed camping from time to time with her girlfriend, and as long as Remy and Clint didn't do anything to dirty in their tent, then they were welcome to use it. Remy didn't want to ask what was considered 'dirty' to Hill.

The campsite was booked. Remy had her time off. And Steve was willing to puppysit Lucky. Everything was falling into place for once and nothing could go wrong.

Except the morning they left, she threw up twice. Clint was ready to cancel the trip when Steve had knocked on their door. And Remy was ready to fight Clint that they still needed to go because really, she was just nervous about leaving Lucky and that it was just nerves. She was fine, honestly, and after an hour of arguing, Clint gave in and they left.

He did stop to pick up saltines and ginger ale for her because like hell was he going to have her along if she was queasy.

The drive took a few hours. Clint kept a watchful eye on his girlfriend as she sat in the passenger seat, sipping contently on a can of ginger ale as she scrolled through her iPod, looking for the right music. Occasionally she'd pick a ridiculously sappy love ballad to play on repeat a few times before Clint would try to snatch it from her grip. Then she'd change the song to something classic to appease her boyfriend as he drove.

When they finally arrived at the campsite, he stole the iPod and hid it in the bottom of his bag. There was no way in hell he was going to go through that again.

The campsite was only a 20 minute walk from the car. And even though she had been sick in the morning, Remy was walking along like nothing had happened. It was weird and he couldn't stop worrying, because throwing up wasn't really a good thing. Granted, she usually threw up if she was overly anxious or stressed about something (such as flying or firing guns, but she had not been doing that at all lately), so what gives?

He kept an eye on her as he dug them a fire pit and she put up the tent.

"You know." Remy began as she finished with the tent and began putting their packs inside it. "You're making me nervous with how closely you're watching me. Like, are you judging my tent skills or something? 'cause you know, it's not that hard to read these instructions when they're just pictures."

"Oh, uh." Clint shrugged as he finished with the fire pit. "No, that's not it. Just... I like watching you work."

"Uh huh."

"I do." He insisted. "And watching you out here putting that tent up is hot."

She just gave him an unimpressed look. He just shrugged. She sighed. "Okay, I feel fine, Clint. I just felt a little off this morning, but now? I'm feeling just fine now."

Clint looked at her. "You sure?"

"Yes." She replied with a nod. "So don't worry, okay? Because then I will worry because you're worrying and we really don't need that cycle happening right now."

"I guess."

"Yep. Now," She turned her attention to the fire pit. "We have a fire pit. We now need a fire bucket. I nominate you to get that."

"Aw, babe." He didn't want to leave her alone but he wasn't going to say that.

"I'm gonna get the sleeping bags rolled out." She told him as she reached over and grabbed the bucket, holding it out to him. "And get the tent all comfy, okay? So be a good boy and get us some water." He pouted at her and she rolled her eyes. "I'll give you a reward if you do it."

"What kind of reward?"

"I'll give you the first s'more."

Clint wasn't sure if that was reasonable enough, but he wasn't going to argue with her. They _did_ need a bucket of water for the fire, just in case. So without another word, he took the bucket, kissed her cheek, and wandered off in the direction of the stream they had crossed. It gave him a few minutes to himself to think over everything that was going on, which honestly, was not a lot. Sure, he was still on a break from SHIELD – one he wasn't ready to come back from after almost two months – and he was still having the occasional nightmare, but he was feeling better after the whole New York thing. Remy was helping to keep him grounded, letting him just stay at her place and do whatever he needed. As long as he didn't shoot arrows in her apartment or trash the place, she didn't really care what he did.

It kind of freaked him out from time to time how normal it was to be in a relationship with her. Then again, she wasn't any kind of assassin or spy, so that may have helped with that. All Remy did was sit at a desk and type shit. She couldn't fire a gun very well or kill someone like he could, but she could throw a mean punch if it called for it. He learned that one time in the office when he decided to sneak up behind her as a joke. Thankfully his nose wasn't broken, but his ego was slightly bruised.

Once the bucket was full, he headed back to the campsite.

When he walked up, Remy was climbing out of the tent with a grin on her face. Clint raised an eyebrow as he set the bucket next to the pit. "I'm back?"

"I can see that." She replied as sauntered up to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss. He returned the kiss, eyebrow still raised as his arms encircled her.

"Okay, what was that for?" He asked once they broke the kiss.

"Look, I just spent ten minutes on my knees on a rocky, horrible ground rolling out our sleeping bags." Remy told him as she grabbed him by the front of his jacket and tugged him toward the tent. "And I feel I deserve a reward for that, okay? And you're gonna be the one to give it to me, Clint Barton."

Well, he wasn't about to argue with that.

* * *

**Closing Note**: Aw, Tony, being all weird.

Thank you for reading this! I'm excited that I've finally almost finished writing the story, and once that happens, I'll upload it and be done. Maybe by Christmas, depending on how school is going.


	50. Chapter 50

**Author's Note: **So here's chapter fifty! I lied when I said I was almost done with the story. I'm tweaking parts of it because I wasn't happy with how it was all going, but here's a chapter for you lovely readers who have been hanging around. I'm kind of happy with it as this is my third attempt at it, but I think this is now going in the direction I'm comfortable with.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty**

So far the trip was a success. Nothing terrible happened save for Remy nearly hitting Clint with a flaming marshmallow the first night. It caught her by surprise when it erupted into flames and she flung it out of the fire to blow it out. Unfortunately Clint was sitting _right_ next to her and nearly got hit in the face. However, he was pretty fast in grabbing her hand to stop the movements. The flaming marshmallow was a few inches from his face before he took the liberty of blowing it out for her.

She gave him a kiss and made him a fresh s'more with a marshmallow that hadn't been a flaming inferno.

She was also sick in the morning, but she figured it was just being outside. Clint honestly did not understand that excuse at all, but he didn't want another argument about it so he just nodded and gave her a can of ginger ale when she was done throwing up behind a tree.

It was their second night now. The campfire had been out for a while and the night was so far peaceful. They had managed to zip their sleeping bags together so they could actually cuddle while they slept, and Clint appreciated that, finding it easier to sleep with his girlfriend in his arms.

He wasn't asleep just yet, to busy worrying about her throwing up these past few days. Since he was able to get cell service out here in the woods, he took the time to google pregnancy symptoms while Remy was fast asleep beside him. Thankfully the light of his phone didn't wake her up, but did make her mumble and bury herself further under their covers. Clint grinned and pressed a kiss to her forehead as he waited for a site to load. He browsed it quickly, making note of the symptoms: vomiting, fatigue, some moodiness.

Well, shit.

Maybe she wasn't pregnant? Remy could be right, maybe she was just stressed, though Clint wasn't sure about what exactly. The move was over, he was more or less better from the New York events, and work seemed to settle down a bit. The only thing that came to mind was the Chimera Order, but they hadn't heard anything from those assholes for a while. He hoped they just gave up.

He cleared his browser history on his phone and tucked it under his pillow before burrowing under the covers, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. Clint kept telling himself that everything would be fine and to not worry. They would head home tomorrow and everything would be back to normal.

Yea, right.

* * *

The next morning Clint woke up to Remy crawling desperately over him to leave the tent. He grunted when her knee landed in his stomach, and he did get a smack to the face as she unzipped the tent and rushed out, but he wasn't going to yell at her about it. Obviously she was in a rush to do… something. And by the sounds of it, that something was the same thing she'd been up to the last few mornings. With a sigh, he crawled out of the tent after her and grabbed a water bottle, heading over to where she was hunched over beside a tree.

"Here." He said, unscrewing the cap and handing her the bottle. She blindly reached for it, trying to keep herself upright against the tree. Clint pressed it into her hand before grabbing her hair, holding it back behind her as she dry heaved. "So do you… want me to call the doctor? We can head there after we pack up?"

She rinsed her mouth and spat out the water. "Maybe? Is there a doctor at SHIELD that is uh, normal?"

"Define normal, Remy." He teased, running his fingers through her hair carefully. "We work for a secret government agency."

"Normal in that they don't just deal with gunshot wounds and shit." Remy retorted as she wiped her mouth, looking back at him. "Like, what if something is wrong with me? Will they actually diagnose something?"

"Yes, babe." He assured her, giving her a kiss on the forehead before leading her back to the camp. "So sit down for a bit and I'll start packing up. Then we'll head back home."

Remy nodded and took a seat on a log, sipping the water as Clint crawled back into the tent to change into clothes. Grinning, she called over to him, "You know, it's just us out here. You can change outside."

Clint peeked out of the tent and stuck his tongue out at her before disappearing once more. She laughed, shaking her head as she sipped her water. A few minutes later Clint emerged, now in jeans and a hoodie. "You wanna change, or are you gonna stay in sweats?"

"I'm gonna stay in sweats. I don't feel like wearing jeans." Remy replied, looking him over as she bit down on her lip. "How do you make jeans and a hoodie look good? I mean, come on, Clint. How are you blessed like that?"

"It's a blessing and a curse." He said with a resigned sigh, shaking his head as he started rolling up the sleeping bags. Remy kept checking him out, grinning widely. "Okay, I can feel your eyes staring at my ass, Remy. It's kind of weird."

"Shut up." She grinned. "I wouldn't be complaining if you did it."

"No, you'd be shaking your ass and tempting me." He finished rolling up the sleeping bags and set them outside the tent. "Don't even try to deny it."

"Never." She teased, capping the bottle of water and getting up. "I feel up to moving around so I'll help you out."

"Aw, babe." Clint started packing up their bags. "You wanna just grab our cooking things?"

Nodding, Remy started grabbing the few dishes and utensils they brought along, stashing them into a canvas tote bag. Next she grabbed the skewers and pan, also putting them in the tote. Right then she was grateful they didn't bring a whole lot along with them on this trip. By the time she finished packing the cooking utensils, Clint had already taken down the tent and was packing it away. It only took maybe twenty minutes to tear down the camp, and after Clint helped Remy get her hiking boots on, they headed back to the car. It was only a few hours to get back home, and before starting the car up, Clint called up the SHIELD doctor he happened to have on speed dial (just because he had the tendency to get injured on missions, he found it easier to have one he could call directly). Remy reclined her seat back as he scheduled an appointment for her, which she was eternally grateful for. She didn't feel up to talking on the phone right then.

Once it was settled, Clint pocketed his phone and started the car up. "Doc said to just head on in when we get back to town."

"Look at you, gettin' the doctor to give me a walk in appointment." Remy teased as she buckled her seatbelt. "Is that a perk of being an Avenger or something?"

"Pfft, no. It's because I hurt myself all the goddamn time on missions so she's fine to let me walk on in." Clint replied as he steered the car down the dirt road. "So just take a nap or something, okay? And let me know if I need to pull over or something."

"Yea, yea, I will." She suddenly yawned and allowed herself to get comfortable in her seat. "Gonna nap, though. Wake me when we get there."

* * *

Both Remy and Clint stared at the posters hanging in the exam room they were seated in. At one point Clint squinted and tilted his head curiously as he studied one showing the weekly growth of a baby in the womb. Then he looked at Remy's stomach, only to get a gentle slap on the back of his head for that.

"Don't. That's just weird." She scolded, tugging at her t-shirt over her stomach. There was no reason for her to do that except more out of nervousness. She was terrified at the thought of being pregnant, but after sharing her symptoms to the nurse and the look the nurse gave Remy, well, fuck, that just made the agent more nervous.

"Ow, babe." Clint said with a pout, rubbing the back of his head. She rolled her eyes and reached over to run her fingers through his hair instead.

"Cliiiiiint, what if I'm pregnant?" She whined softly. "What am I gonna do?"

He shrugged, taking her hand in his. "You'll figure something out. I'll do whatever you need me to do, babe."

She nodded, biting down on her lip. "What if I don't keep the baby?" Her voice was quiet when she asked this, and Remy could feel Clint tense up beside her. After a few minutes of silence, he let go of her hand and put his arm around her.

"It's your choice, Remy." He replied, pulling her closer. It was a bit uncomfortable for the two of them seated in those chairs, armrests digging into their sides as they leaned into each other. But Remy managed to rest her head against Clint's chest before letting out a sigh.

"If I'm pregnant, I'm keeping the baby." Remy told him firmly; Clint relaxed. "And you're gonna be changing so many gross diapers, Clint Barton."

"Well, considering I got you into this…" He trailed off when there was a knock at the door and an older woman stepped in, holding a clipboard and mug. She raised an eyebrow when she saw the two.

"I honestly expected you to be the one injured, Agent Barton." She said as she set the mug down on the small desk in the room. "Not Agent Black."

"She's not injured, doc." He sighed. "But uh, maybe pregnant, like I said on the phone."

"Hm." The doctor narrowed her eyes as she looked Remy over. The agent just stared back at her. "If you don't mind getting up on the exam table, we'll get started."

* * *

The exam didn't take as long as Remy anticipated. In under two hours, she was out of the doctor's office, her purse packed with pamphlets and information about maternity leave. And when they got back to the apartment (after stopping to pick up lunch at the diner they liked), Remy hugged Steve and stuffed some money into his pocket. Clint took Lucky out for a walk while Remy walked Steve to his motorcycle, thanking him profusely for dogsitting.

That was one thing Remy thought she'd never do: thank Captain America for looking after her dog for a few days. But she figured it was one of those things that just proved how interesting her life had gotten over the last few months.

Plus, adding in that she just found out she was pregnant really proved it as well. Pregnancy was something Remy never thought would happen. Yes, she enjoyed sex and often had it (with it happening more frequently since she and Clint started dating), but she was always so careful. She always made sure her partner used a condom, just to be sure, but as she thought back to that night Clint left the psych ward and surprised her in her apartment, _that_ was when they just stopped using them.

The doctor said Remy was about six or so weeks along. And as Remy thought about it, that was pretty accurate to when they stopped using condoms. No one was to blame – they just got lazy. Clint had all but tackled her to the bed that night and Remy forgot to tell him to use one.

"Why do you look like you're thinking really hard?" Clint asked, interrupting Remy's train of thought. She didn't even hear him come back into the apartment. Lucky pulled at the leash, excited to see her again. Once the door was shut and locked, Clint removed the leash, allowing the dog to run excitedly over to Remy, nearly slipping across the floor and into the table. Thankfully Remy was there to catch him.

"Just thinkin' about life." She replied, scratching Lucky behind the ears. Clint nodded understandingly as he headed to the table. The food was still hot, waiting to be eaten, so he grabbed two plates for them to have the food on. Remy immediately started eating her burger, having barely waited for him to hand her a plate. He rolled his eyes and sat down, dumping his fries and burger onto a plate before tossing a few fries to the dog.

"Hey." He began; she looked up, setting her burger on the plate before grabbing a napkin. He stole one of her fries and she raised an eyebrow. "I uh, want you to know that uh, I'm here for you? And that I wanna be around for the baby and help you and everything, since uh, I got you into this."

Remy nodded, listening to him as she stole a fry from his plate. "Thank you. I mean, I was kind of hoping you would, but at the same time I didn't… want to just assume anything. But thank you, Clint. It means a lot."

He grinned before taking a sip of his milkshake. Remy smiled back before she started eating again. They then ate in silence, the only noise being heard was the jingling of Lucky's license as he begged for food. Occasionally Clint slipped him a few fries while Remy just shook her head, mumbling something about the dog turning into a fry himself.

When Clint finished his food, he leaned back in his seat, a thoughtful expression on his face. "What are we gonna name the kid?"

"Well, since the baby is probably smaller than a jelly bean right now, it might be a little too early to think of names." Remy replied as she sipped her milkshake. "I mean, we can brainstorm, if you want, and throw ideas around, maybe lay down rules."

"Rules?"

"Like not naming the kid after one of _our_ parents." Remy explained, shaking her head. "And I'm all for naming the kid in honor of someone like Nat or Phil, but I don't think I want the kid to share the name, you know?"

"Makes sense." Clint agreed with a nod. "Like, Roman or Cole?"

She grinned at that and nodded. "Exactly. Unless you want another Clint Francis Barton running around, we should try to do that."

"I don't think the world wants another Clint Francis Barton running around." Clint groaned, shaking his head. "I don't even want that."

Remy laughed at that, shaking her head. "I'm fine just having one Clint Francis Barton right now, hon."

* * *

**Closing Note: **Okay for the record, I never intended for Remy to get pregnant. But as the story went on and I thought about it, I dunno, it just worked? And yes, they are both very much like "Oh GOD a baby?!". Originally there was going to be a buttload of angst, but I realized that I really do not want that much angst so I toned it down a bit. There will probably be a little drama from here on out, but I plan to stick to the more 'humor' aspect of the story.

Also I have never been pregnant and last person I knew who was pregnant gave birth like, ten years ago, so that's why with the doctor scene I kind of just noped out of that because I didn't know what to write for it. Just imagine a lot of awkward pauses and confused looks shared between Clint and Remy.

So thank you for reading! I have 13 days left in the classroom and then I'll have my associates degree! And then I'm free to finish this story and work on the sequel! Aw yes.

Also? Current obsession is that cartoon _Avengers Assemble!_ because of Clint Barton being Clint Barton.


	51. Chapter 51

**Author's Note: **Dear Lord, 51 chapters. Sorry for the incredibly slow updates. I know I said I was finishing up this story a few chapters ago, but uh, I didn't like what I wrote so I decided to re-write some parts. But I'm liking where it's going now more than before.

So in the fic, it's been like, two and a half months since New York. And I keep looking for timeline related things to get an idea how the movieverse goes, and I guess Iron Man 3 happens like, a year later? But I've also seen it as taking place 6 months later...so I'm not sure. I may tweak the timeline in order to not make myself panic as I write this because I want it to start lining up with Agents of SHIELD's first season and Cap 2, so there might be talk of Iron Man 3 events in this fic eventually. Just a heads up.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-One**

A week passed since they found out Remy was pregnant. She hadn't told anyone yet except for Fury and Hill, because really, she felt that it was important that two of her bosses knew. Fury rolled his eye and shook his head while Hill grumbled something about owing Natasha $20. Clint had told Natasha, which Remy was fine with because she received a text from the assassin congratulating her, whereas Clint received a phone call and a lecture on the 'birds and the bees'. Remy didn't stop laughing all night at how embarrassed Clint had become during the call.

And well, so far, everything was calm and going smoothly. Clint had started going back to the Triskelion to work out and practice with his bow. He was thinking about going back into the field pretty soon, so he wanted to be in shape for it. Remy was happy that he was feeling up to going back to work, but she also was selfish in that she loved having him around all of the time. She had gotten used to waking up next to him and the home cooked meals, but she knew it wasn't fair to expect that to happen all the time. Clint was an agent – one of the best SHIELD had – and it wasn't fair to expect him to stay in her apartment forever.

But at the same time, a part of her did want her out of the apartment; a tiny little part of her was ready to kick him in the ass because he was clawing at the walls and being obnoxiously helpful and _way_ to into the pregnancy. Since finding out she was pregnant the previous week, Clint had purchased four books and read them cover to cover, randomly spouting information at Remy every waking second she was around. Like this morning for example, Remy nearly cried when her bra or favorite button up no longer fit. Clint happily told her that she was probably gaining weight as a result of the pregnancy.

Remy responded by bursting into tears and throwing a pillow at him. And she then locked herself in the bathroom to finish getting ready for work while he started on breakfast. She left for the office without saying anything to him.

And now she had to speak to Fury before leaving for the day. She wasn't sure what it was about, but it was likely to do with the Chimera Order. Those jerks had been awfully quiet lately so Remy wondered if they did something to cause the Director to want to speak to her like this.

She finished up the work on her computer and collected her things before signing out for the day. After bidding goodbye to her office mates, Remy headed up to the Director's office. People were already leaving for the day, passing her as they returned headed to their vehicles. She sighed, not really wanting to go home at all with what transpired between her and Clint that morning. But she knew that it couldn't be put off for too long.

With a groan, she stepped off the elevator when it reached the floor she needed. Remy made her way to Fury's office and knocked loudly on the door. There was silence for a moment before the door opened. He glared down at her before turning and heading to his desk. Remy raised an eyebrow and followed after him.

"Sir?" She asked as she claimed the seat she always occupied in these meetings. "Is something wrong?"

He didn't say anything as he took a seat at his computer. They sat in silence for a few minutes before he finally looked at her. "I'm going to need you to redraw that map you saw when you were a kid, and any other sort of maps stored in that brain of yours."

"I uh, can try?" Remy said with a frown. "I mean, I told you that information was likely out of date by 12 or more years, but I'll see if I can remember anything else." She paused, looking at him curiously now. "Are there any leads? Did the Chimera Order do something?" Her eyes widened slightly. "Hey, you said at one point you had people on the inside. Have they found anything?"

"They were found out." Fury replied. Remy stared at him in disbelief. "Don't know how or when, but they were found out and their heads cut off. The Chimera Order were nice enough to send them." He paused for a moment, strumming his fingers on the desk before he chose to continue. "The heads were missing their teeth."

"Teeth missing?" Remy squeaked. Her stomach churned at the thought.

"They also sent us a drive containing a video." He continued. "Don't worry, I won't make you watch it, but your dad was the star and basically said he needs the stuff stored in that brain of yours. Something about bombs and schematics."

"Sir, I… gave you that information already." Remy told him with a frown. "Shortly after New York. All I know about bombs is the ingredients, but not the actual process of making them."

"I know that, Agent Black." He growled as he turned to his computer. "But he also talked about Phase Two weapons. He wants SHIELD secrets now."

Remy nodded. "Jameson knew about them when I met them in the prison. But they don't _know_ how they are built and since Thor took the cube thing off planet, they won't know how to power them, right? I mean, these people seem to be idiots half of the time. Unless they got Tony to help them power these things, whatever weapon they build will be useless."

"I'm more concerned about what _you_ know, Agent Black." Fury told her. "You have things stored in that brain of yours that I'd hate for the Chimera Order or someone else to find out about it all." He looked at his computer for a moment before looking back at her. "Remember that TAHITI nonsense you looked at before Loki came and fucked everything up?"

"Yea. I mean, I tried to tell you to use it on Coulson." Remy said with a frown. "I know it's one of those lesser known secrets SHIELD has, only using it to help those who are dying."

"The idea was to use the program on an Avenger should they be gravely injured." Fury told her. Remy's eyes widened slightly. "Thankfully none of them needed it."

"Uh, yea. So. Why are we talking about it?" She asked, starting to feel weird about this. He just hold her that he was worried about what she knew about SHIELD's secrets. "I mean, does the program even work? What I read… it seemed kind of out there." She paused for a moment and frowned. "Then again, two months ago we were attacked by aliens and a bratty demi-god."

"Nothing's normal anymore." Fury told her; Remy just nodded in agreement to that statement. "And about TAHITI, well, we're still figuring that out and we don't need those idiots finding out about it and somehow creating a fucked up zombie army."

"Okay, but that could be cool?" She suggested with a grin.

Fury gave her a look and she shrugged.

"Just saying. Zombie army."

* * *

Fury had told her he was considering transferring her to the Hub or someplace other than the Triskelion until this all blew over. They wouldn't tell anyone except for the higher up agents at the Hub – such as Victoria Hand. Remy had heard of her, but never met her. The plan was basically to make Remy disappear within SHIELD until they could finally locate the Chimera Order.

She was given the task of drawing more locations on maps should she remember anything. And the idea of maybe transferring to another SHIELD location wasn't all that fun. If he really wanted to 'make her disappear', he should send her to work for Tony. At least there wouldn't be agents around him. Just… Iron Man suits or something.

Ugh, she wasn't wanting to think about this right now. Not when she had to go home and see Clint to talk about this past week. Remy wasn't looking forward to that at all.

So she picked up some things for dinner before heading back to the apartment and texting Clint to tell him she was almost home. She grabbed the mail and headed up the stairs to her apartment, clutching a grocery bag in one hand while stuffing the mail into it. Then it took a bit of juggling for her to get the keys out of her purse before she actually entered the apartment.

Lucky greeted her, barking excitedly and circling her feet as she headed to the kitchen table. Clint looked up from his spot on the couch, moving as though he was going to help her. Remy set her purse on the table and pointed at him.

"Sit. Stay." She ordered. Both Clint and Lucky obeyed, watching her. Remy grinned triumphantly as she unloaded the items from the bag. "We need to talk, Clint."

He hesitated, but nodded as he started to stand up. "Um, I bought you something, though?"

"Oh?" Remy frowned. He nodded and headed over to the closet, pulling out a bag. She wondered what he bought, but also felt a little apprehensive.

"I uh, felt bad about this morning." He explained as he brought the bag to the table. "And it's not practical, because this _is_ me and I wanted to make you smile, so I went out to grab some groceries earlier and uh, walked to a toy section of the store… and uh, well." With a shrug, he pulled out a few items from the bag: a purple fleece baby hat with cat ears, a plush Winnie the Pooh, and a plush Piglet toy. Remy took the hat first, looking it over as her thumbs stroked the material. "Okay, so, that's maybe practical."

"Why am I not surprised you bought a hat with cat ears?" She said with a smile. Her attention turned to the toys. "And what's the story with these?"

"Oh, uh, I grabbed Piglet first." Clint began, looking quite relieved that she seemed to like the gifts. "Because uh, you remind me of Piglet. Being small and cute and can get scared but you can be really brave when you have to be." Remy nodded, biting down on her lip as he spoke. "And, well, you can't have Piglet without Winnie the Pooh, so I grabbed him as well."

"Clint..."

"I'm sorry about this morning." He told her as he pulled her into his arms. She leaned into him, burying her face into his chest, feeling a lot more relaxed than she had that morning. "I'm… trying not to freak the fuck out that you're pregnant, and I didn't mean to offend you with what I said this morning, I'm just… I'm excited on top of trying not to freak out and I can't seem to find a balance."

She sighed and took a step back from him. "Okay, I get that because I'm terrified too. But uh, I would like you to tone it down just a notch." He frowned at that and she grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze. "What I mean is you got to let me get the mail and pick things up off the ground. Let me carry grocery bags and take the dog for a walk." She licked her lips and frowned. "I mean, obviously I want you to help me when I need it, but wait for me to ask first before jumping in to save the day. I get it that that is your personality, especially right now, but just because I have this little jelly bean sized baby growing in my stomach doesn't mean I'm completely useless, okay?"

"I didn't think you were useless." He mumbled, looking a bit embarrassed. "I just… don't want you to get hurt, that's all."

"I'll be fine, Clint. And if I need you for something, I'll ask." She told him, wrapping her arms back around him. "But if you try to stop me from doing something like pick up my hairbrush, I will hit you with that hairbrush."

He managed to chuckle at the threat, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Fine, fine. I'll wait until you ask." Then he grinned. "Does this mean you're gonna cook dinner tonight then? Because I see you bought some potatoes and milk, so I'm thinking you're making potato soup."

"Uh, yea. That's the plan at least." Remy replied, grinning back. "So go take the dog for a quick walk and I'll get started, okay?"

Nodding, Clint gave her a kiss and pulled back. She watched him grab the leash and hook it to the dog before leaving the apartment. Okay, now she had a few minutes to herself before she started dinner.

* * *

They got through dinner okay. Remy decided to wait until they cleaned up and put things away before she told him what Fury told her about earlier. While Clint pulled on his sweats and a comfy t-shirt, Remy took a seat on the bed, watching him.

"Hey." She began, wondering how to word this without either coming off as dramatic or freaked out. He looked up, t-shirt not on all the way. Her eyes widened slightly and she forced herself to look away from his abs and to his face. "So, Fury and I had a meeting today."

"Oh?" He grinned, now taking his shirt off. "Hm, this one doesn't feel comfortable. I need a different one."

She glared at him. "Yea. I have to redraw maps and stuff."

"Maps?" He repeated with a frown, standing there with no t-shirt. She kept glaring at him. "Okay, fine." He pulled his t-shirt back on. "What's this about maps?"

"Ugh. Maps, information, stuff." Remy groaned. "He's worried, I think. The Chimera Order sent a message to Fury and they want me and the info in my brain."

Clint frowned. "What sort of message?"

"Well…" She hesitated, not sure if she should tell him. But then again, it was likely he'd find out somehow so she might as well. "Okay, um, Fury had some people on the inside… and these people were found out… and the Chimera Order sent their heads to Fury and removed the teeth from their heads."

He didn't react. That kind of scared Remy. Clint just stood there, staring at her as he seemed to take in what she just told him. They just watched each other in silence for a few minutes before Clint threw his arms up and swore loudly, startling her.

"Well, fuck! I'm talking to Fury tomorrow about work. I'm not leaving you when these fuckers are sending _heads_ in the fuckin mail!" He exclaimed, sounding just as frustrated as he looked. "Fuck, maybe Fury will let me stick around to train newbies or some shit. I can't go running around Russia or something if these morons are serious now about coming after you."

"What? No, no! You want to go out in the field!" Remy insisted as she got to her feet. "You like going out there, don't you? Helping people? Doing your archery thing? You nearly went insane sitting in an office when you broke your arm! And that was just for a few weeks! Who knows how long this could be!"

"This is different, Remy." He told her, shaking his head. "I'm _offering_ to do this. I have too. Before it was more Coulson forcing me to sit at the desk to heal, but this time? You're at risk. Our _baby_ is at risk. And I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you while I was out in the field. So tomorrow, I'm driving you to the office and I'll talk with Fury or Hill about this, and then I'm gonna hang around the place to drive you home, okay? And I'll take you to go buy some maternity clothes because I owe you that much for knocking you up."

She wanted to protest this, but really, Remy wasn't up for the fight. Sighing, she just nodded, collecting her own pajamas to get comfortable in. They would need to talk more about it later.

* * *

**Closing Note: **So I'm gonna be working more on this story because I'm like, 99% finished with school. I'm out of classes and just have a few finals to worry about. And then it's holidays so there will be work, but it's not as attention stealing as school has been. Which is great because I have a lot of stuff I want to write for Remy and Clint stuff. And then I have ideas for a few other Avengers stories that I may also work on.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	52. Chapter 52

**Author's Note: **I'm done with school until like, August. So I'm gonna hopefully be writing a lot more.

Also this chapter was kind of fun. The next one will feature Tony because it makes me wish I wrote more Tony and Remy being friends than I have. Plus I've been having an MCU marathon so I just want to write more Tony.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Two**

True to his damn word, Clint drove her to work, actually escorted her _to her office_, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading back to the elevator. Though she was giddy and rather enjoyed that, it _was_ a little embarrassing since her coworkers saw it. And several of them teased her and made kissy faces at her until Remy threatened to switch the coffee to decaf. That shut them up.

She didn't see Clint again until lunch time. Again, she felt a bit embarrassed, but she was able to shrug it off as she grabbed a chair for him to sit on while they ate at her desk. She didn't feel up to going amongst the rest of the agents to eat, instead finding her desk to be more comfortable. Her office mates had left shortly after Clint's arrival, opting to leave them in peace, though one had asked them _not_ to have sex in the office.

Clint just shrugged and replied with, "No promises."

Thankfully Remy didn't choke on her food right then.

Once they were alone, Remy leaned back in her seat, looking over at her boyfriend. "You talk to Fury?"

"Yep." He said as he took a bite of his sandwich. Remy stared at him. He shifted in his seat, looking a bit uncomfortable by her gaze. "Um?"

"And?" She asked.

"Oh." He finished chewing and drank some water for reply. "Uh, we worked out a compromise. I'm only to do a mission if they have no other options available. And I will be helping with weapons training for the incoming newbies and all that. I may have to occasionally travel to the academy, but if that happens, you are allowed to come along because they'll set me up in a room on campus for the few days that I'm there."

"What are you going to tell Natasha?" Remy asked, wondering what the wrath of an assassin would be like, especially since she was taking Natasha's partner away like that. "I mean, if she wants to fight it out, at least let me know ahead of time so I can practice how I'm going to die."

"I find it weird that you always go right to violence with this sort of thing." Clint mused, raising an eyebrow. "But she's excited to be Aunt Nat, so I'm pretty sure she'll understand the change. She might not like it at first, but I also know that she and Steve have been hanging out here doing some sparring, so maybe he could be her new partner, you know?"

"Only if you're sure." She replied as she ate her salad with a frown. "I mean, I really don't want her to hate me and think I like, forced you out of the field or something."

"This is _my_ decision, babe." He reminded her. "Mine. I'm choosing to do this because I want to be here for you, okay? And for the baby." He took another bite of his sandwich. "Which reminds me. Do you want to go shopping after work today or should we wait until the weekend?"

"Today would be perfect." She told him as she stabbed a tomato onto her fork and held it out for him. "Because these bras are starting to feel uncomfortable and I need a few new ones. And maybe some jeans and shirts? Since, y'know, a certain boyfriend said he'd buy me new clothes since he knocked me up."

He wrinkled his nose as he took the tomato from her. "Taste better when I steal them." He mumbled as he popped it into his mouth. "And I really don't want to buy out the whole store."

"God no. I really just need a few things." She told him with a frown. "My knit dresses should fit fine for the most part. I mean, my stomach is going to expand outward a bit, but I imagine that since I'm already chubby, there might not be that big of a difference as the months go on."

Clint nodded as he continued eating. Yea, he had read several books already and had picked up a few from the library. A lot of them said the same thing on the week-by-week development of the baby and what it would do to Remy, and he was honestly prepared for it. Prepared for any mood swings, morning sickness, food cravings, or whatever else she was going to need for the next sevenish months. That's why he didn't want to go on missions. He _wanted_ to be a part of all this, even though it was going to be rough. Clint wanted to be the best kind of dad out there, nothing like the father he had, or what Remy had, but one who actually _loved_ his kid and wanted to be around them.

He was lost in thought as he ate, not noticing anything until Remy was poking him in the arm. He finally looked up with a frown. "What?"

"Lost you there for a minute." She said as she finished her salad. "I was saying that in the next month or so, I want to tell a few more people, I think. Like May, Tony, and Steve."

"Yea, okay." Clint nodded. "Anyone else?"

"Nah. I mean, I have a feeling my office mates are going to find out and want to throw a baby shower – gag – but other than that, there are only a few people I care enough about that I want them to know." She explained as she started to eat an apple. "And I guess as time goes on and I start to show, obviously more people will know."

"True." He agreed as he started collecting the trash from their lunch. "Okay, well, guess I should let you get back to your work." He suddenly grinned. "Should we mess up your desk a bit to freak out your officemates? Maybe give you sex hair and rumple your clothes?"

Remy started laughing, shaking her head. "God no! I don't need them staring at me with either awe or disgust. Just get going, you dork. I'll see you in a few hours."

He grinned and gave her a quick kiss before he left the office. She just shook her head, grinning as she went back to work while her office mates started to trickle back in.

* * *

Everything had been going well for Remy and Clint, really.

Except Clint was suddenly not sleeping well again. He was tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep, and this would last for a few hours before he'd give up and take the dog for a walk, leaving Remy to try and sleep. And when he'd come back, he'd just sit on the couch, reading a book or watching TV with the closed captions on (hey just because he couldn't sleep doesn't mean Remy needed to suffer) while writing things down in a notebook.

This went on for two weeks before Remy decided to say something. Two fucking weeks. And on one Friday at four in the morning, Remy woke up needing to use the toilet. She climbed out of bed, ignoring the television at first as she stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She tried to think of the best way to approach this, giving herself a few minutes before finishing up and washing her hands. With a sigh, she left the bathroom and went to the couch where Clint was currently sitting, still writing in a notebook. He looked up and frowned.

"Why aren't you asleep?" He asked as he turned the television off. Remy just shrugged and took a seat next to him on the couch, tucking herself up under his arm.

"'cause you're not in bed." She mumbled back, sliding her hand up his t-shirt and rubbing his stomach slowly. "What's going on? And what's in the notebook?"

He shrugged. "Making a list of what the baby's gonna need. You know, a crib, diapers, that sort of thing."

"Uh huh. And why aren't you in bed?" She asked, frowning as he passed the notebook for her to look at. "Ugh, wish I thought about the possibility of pregnancy when I moved. This place is going to get so small with a baby here."

Clint propped his feet up on the coffee table, stroking her arm slowly as he got comfortable where he sat. "Can't sleep."

"Why?" She asked, turning a page. There was another list labeled _Housework_ that said things like fix the front steps, add porch railings, fix up room next to master bedroom. She frowned as she scanned the list. "Okay, you do know that this is an apartment and there's no front steps, right?"

"Uh." He took the notebook from her and closed it. "Nightmares. Can't sleep because of nightmares."

That was a slight change of subject, but Remy decided not to say anything on it right away. "Okay. Same as before?" She asked; he nodded. "Think that the baby and Chimera Order business started them back up?"

Clint nodded, tossing the notebook onto the coffee table. "Don't want to get into detail, but they're pretty terrible, Remy." He sighed. "I can't even close my eyes without them coming back. It's just better if I don't sleep."

"Clint, you _need_ to sleep. Are you at least sleeping when I'm at work?" She asked, sitting up on the couch. He shrugged. Remy sighed and wrapped her arms around him before leaning back toward the opposite end of the couch, pulling Clint down on top of her. He made a face and moved onto his side, his back against the couch as he wrapped his arms around her. She looked smug at the change of position and kissed his cheek. "Should we just cuddle until you sleep?"

"I'm not gonna sleep, babe." He mumbled, rubbing his eyes. "But you have to be up in two hours, so why aren't you in bed?"

"Because I can't sleep unless you're in bed." She pointed out, running her fingers through his hair. "And if you're not in bed then I can't sleep. But you aren't sleeping so you're on the couch." She glanced over at the notebook. "Instead you're writing things down about some house." She felt him tense just a bit at the mention. "So…"

"I have a place in Iowa." He blurted out. She looked at him curiously. "It's an old farm house. Bought it a few years ago. I sometimes go there when I have time off, but I haven't been there since breaking my arm and everything else since then."

"Is that what you mean by that housework list?" She asked with a frown. Clint nodded.

"I mean, it's not baby proof at all." He began, reaching over to grab the notebook. "I'll need to install baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. There's a bedroom that is actually connected to the master bedroom, and um, that could be the nursery." He flipped to a page in the notebook. There was a pen sketch of a two story house with notes scribbled around it. "Crappy drawing, but uh, I was gonna make a fence around part of the yard so that dog could have a place to run. It might take some getting used to for him to have that much freedom, but I can probably get him trained to stay on the property."

"Clint…"

"It's not fancy or anything, I mean, knowing what you grew up with and all." He added hastily. "It's not a fancy mansion, and it's a little run down, but I really want to get it fixed up for you and the baby so it's habitable. The town is nice – I mean, it's small – but it's got a grocery store and schools and-" He was cut off by Remy kissing him.

She finally pulled back from the kiss but almost immediately placed her hand over his mouth. "Don't you dare bring up my life before Phil and think that it has some kind of material effect on me like that, Clint Barton." She warned, narrowing her eyes. "I don't care if your home isn't glamorous. As long as there is four walls and a roof, I'm happy, and as long as you're living there with me, then I'm fuckin' ecstatic. But don't compare it to what I grew up with because that hurts because I never want you to do that, okay?"

He nodded with her hand still covering his mouth. She narrowed her eyes, watching him for a moment before she slowly pulled her hand back. Clint wrinkled his nose and frowned. "Did you switch to unscented lotion?"

"Yes." Remy replied, wiping her hand on his hip. "The scented kind was making me feel sick."

"Well, your skin feels a lot softer." He told her. She made a face at him and he sighed. "I won't change the subject, sorry."

"Okay." She nodded and gave him another kiss. "Now, when do I get to see this house? Maybe when I'm done throwing up every morning? I mean, maybe Steve or Nat can watch the dog. We probably shouldn't bring him along with us." Remy wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, that means I'll have to get time off work, though. I don't know how soon I can get that off."

Clint chuckled, shaking his head. "Slow down, babe. Slow down."

She made a face. "Why?"

"Uh, 'cause as much as I want you to check it out, it's probably not all that livable right now." He explained as he started to sit up. Remy followed the motion, being careful not to fall off the couch. "It's been, what, five or six months since I broke my arm? I don't know what the condition of the house is in." Remy stood first and took Clint by the hand, leading him over to the bed. The dog woke up from them moving around and looked up, woofing softly as he got up to follow after them. Clint allowed her to do this and sighed. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to fall asleep. "Babe."

"Clint." Remy crawled into bed, tugging at his hand. He sighed and followed after her, making sure to pull her close to him. Lucky jumped on the bed next, letting out a bark as he clamored over Clint and Remy to squeeze between them. "Aw, puppy!"

"Ugh, dog." Clint grunted when Lucky kicked him in the stomach. He huffed in annoyance when Lucky laid his head on Clint's pillow. "Whatever. Okay, anyway, let's wait on the house thing. I gotta make sure you're going to be safe and okay before we do anything, all right?"

She made a face but nodded. Really, she wanted to go see the house _now_ and get out of the apartment for a while, but if it wasn't livable, then it was pointless. She trusted Clint on this, though it wasn't going to stop her from bugging him about it. He owned a fucking _house_ and it wasn't in the city and it was really fucking exciting for her. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of living in a house with Clint and their baby. This apartment was not suited to raising a kid at all, but a house? And the fact that he was already planning the improvements for it to make it suitable for their baby?

Seriously, Remy couldn't help but love the archer even more. And a small part of her was tempted to just propose marriage right there because _damn_, Clint Barton had a house and Remy just couldn't believe it. It was one of the best things she had heard in a long while.

* * *

**Closing note: **I honestly feel that the shit the Avengers went through in the movie would really fuck them up, specifically Tony and Clint. I honestly just want to hug them both because oh my God. I just watched _The Avengers_ last night and really, lots of hugs. And then I started Iron Man 3 and I wanted to hug Tony a lot too.

Um. Yes. I hope you enjoyed this? I keep feeling my writing is like, off or something from what it was originally. Ffff.


	53. Chapter 53

**Author's Note: **Okay this chapter is the result of me wanting more Tony and Remy banter in the story. Also, holidays are over and I can work more on the story. And other things. Aw yes.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Three**

"… Zero, eight, eleven, and ninety-six." Remy finished, staring up at the ceiling. Tony was 'visiting' her in the office during lunch. When she asked him why he was at the Triskelion, he just shrugged and said something about work with Fury, but then immediately changed the subject as he wanted her to recite those numbers from a few weeks ago. She turned to look at the billionaire who sat across from her, spinning slowly in the chair he had taken. Rolling her eyes, Remy picked up her sandwich and took a bite. Clint was doing some paperwork with HR in order for him to start helping newbies, so he had to miss eating with her. But Remy had company, so that was okay, even if it was Tony.

But she was tired. Clint tossed and turned since they got back into bed that morning. And because of the constant moving, Remy was unable to sleep. The only one who seemed to sleep through everything was Lucky. Remy was starting to wonder if she could bribe Tony to fill in for her for the rest of the day so she could go take a nap.

"So, how are you and Robin Hood?" Tony asked as he reached for a potato chip from Remy's lunch. She grabbed him by the wrist before he could grab one and he slowly pulled back. "Okay, okay, don't steal your food. Got it."

"Damn right you don't steal my food." She grumbled as she released his wrist and allowed him to grab a chip. "And we're fine. Why?"

"Just wondering." He replied with a shrug, taking the chip from the bag. "You know, I should have brought food. Treated you to lunch or something."

"Okay, why?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow. "As in, why are you wondering and why should you have treated me to lunch?"

Tony shrugged again. "Just curious since Barton was mind-fucked by some demigod from another realm. I can't imagine someone just recovering from that so easily."

She didn't respond right away, instead focusing on pulling at the crust of her sandwich. No, he hadn't really recovered from the ordeal, but Clint had made improvements as far as Remy knew. Sure, the nightmares were back and he was having trouble sleeping, but Remy took it as a good sign that he never once accidentally hurt her or scared her with these things since leaving the psych ward.

It took her a minute to realize Tony was speaking again. Remy looked up at him and frowned. "Sorry, what was that?"

"I was saying." Tony reached over and stole a chip, avoiding Remy's hand. She glared at him as he smirked at her. "That you seem pretty good considering you were almost shish kabobbed by Loki."

"Wow, great way to word that." She replied dryly, raising an eyebrow. "Getting stabbed by that little knife wasn't as traumatic as watching Phil die, you know."

Tony had the decency to wince when he realized that. "Sorry."

"Whatever." Remy sighed. "So, Stark Trek, why are you really here? Surely it's not to dwell on that traumatic event."

"I just wanted to say hi to my favorite Hard Drive." He retorted with a smirk. Remy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Aw, come on, we haven't visited since I stopped by to install that security system. Which, may I say, needs to probably be updated."

"Uh. Really?" Remy raised an eyebrow. "Updated? You just installed it like, a few months ago."

"It's old and outdated." He assured her. "Besides, I'm due to return to the west coast in two weeks. I want to spend time with my favorite Hard Drive before then." Tony looked her over for a moment and shrugged. "Besides, you need a security upgrade."

Remy stared at him for a moment before narrowing her eyes. "Why the sudden interest in a security upgrade, Tony? I doubt it's because it's that out of date since you only installed it a few months ago." She picked up her sandwich and took a bite, watching the billionaire twitch in his seat. She nearly dropped her sandwich. "Oh God, you know."

"Know what?" He asked, feigning innocence.

"That I'm pregnant." She groaned, putting her sandwich back on the napkin it had been resting on. Then she covered her face. "Oh my God, Fury told you, didn't he? That asshole."

"You're pregnant?" Tony repeated, eyes widening slightly. "We discussed the possible threat on your life, but nothing more."

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Oh God, why did she jump to that conclusion? She looked at Tony. "Don't... don't tell anyone."

"Who am I going to tell?" He countered as he pulled out his phone. She reached for it and he held it out of reach. "I'm not telling anyone, trust me."

"Hard to believe that when you pull your phone out after I told you not to tell anyone." She shot back, still trying to grab his phone. "What are you planning on doing then?"

Tony held her back with one hand while furiously texting on his other phone. "Checking to see where you and Legolas are registered at."

"Please don't tell _anyone_. You're the only person to know." Remy told him as she sat back in her chair, giving up the battle for the phone. "I mean, besides Nat. We haven't really told anyone since it is still early days." She rubbed her stomach and sighed, then grabbed her sandwich and finished it off. Once she was done, she turned to Tony, wiping her hands on some paper napkins. "So like, I'm serious about you keeping quiet, okay? We don't want it getting out for reasons so don't say a word."

Tony just nodded as he scrolled through his phone. "So… you're not registered anywhere. What am I supposed to buy the baby? Or should I just buy you two a year's worth of condoms?"

"Oh God, Tony." Remy snorted. "Really? Condoms? Fuck that, buy us diapers or a crib. Something normal, you know?" She grinned and looked at him. "Then again, I bet normal for you is buying out all of Babies 'R' Us, huh?"

He made a face and rolled his eyes. "Like I'll spend that much money on you. How about a pack of pacifiers? That should be enough." Then he paused for a moment, looking her over again. "Stark Industries has a magnificent maternity leave."

"Okay, and why do you want me to work for you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at the slight change of subject. "And you never really explained the numbers thing. Did I impress you with the memory thing? It's been, what, a month since you had me look at the numbers. Are you satisfied that I really can memorize that sort of stuff?"

"Yep." He nodded, putting his phone away. "See, your memory is pretty fascinating, Hard Drive. I don't see how it's possible, but you know, I wouldn't mind you coming to work with me and looking over specs and all that. I mean, JARVIS can't be hacked, but it would be nice to have a backup system just in case."

She groaned. "I'm not a computer, Tony."

"I know that, Remy." He replied, sounding a bit annoyed as he leaned back in his seat. "But I like you and I wouldn't mind having you working for me. So, you know, think about it. Talk it over with your man if you have too and then call me, okay? Maybe let me know before I head back to Malibu."

"So, what, quit SHIELD and work for you?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow. "What's in it for me? What _exactly_ will I be doing if I choose to work for you?"

Tony shrugged. "Work with me at my home from time to time. Work in the office with Pepper. She'd like you, I'm sure. You could be her personal assistant. Take calls, schedule meetings, that sort of thing. You both can complain about me. And you could probably work from home once you pop." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Also, you wouldn't have any threats to your life like you do right now."

She made a face. "I guess." Remy sighed. "I'll think about it, okay? Give me a week and I'll give you my decision. It might be nice to do something different after five years." She rubbed her face. "I have to talk with Clint about it first, then I'll need actual paperwork and stuff to go through if I'm really going to do this. Like, I don't want you paying me under the table. I'll have to be on Stark Industries payroll for tax reasons."

"Of course." Tony agreed, attention back on his phone.

"If I go to work with you in Malibu for a while, I'll need a place to stay." Remy continued. "And it is possible Clint will tag along, and maybe even the dog."

"I've got a penthouse in LA you two can use." He replied, still looking at his phone. Remy watched him, raising an eyebrow. "And it's pet friendly. I mean, I own the building so I'll just say it's now pet friendly."

"And I may need childcare depending on how long I work for you." She added.

"Done." He said as he put his phone away.

"What were you doing?"

"Telling Pepper your demands."

Remy covered her face. "Oh God. I have to really think this through, Tony." She insisted. "Don't hire me right now! I haven't made a decision!"

He pocketed his phone and stood up. "I know. This is just preparation for when you do come to work for me, which I know you will." He held his hand out. "I must get going, but it was wonderful to talk with you, Agent Black."

She dropped her hands and sighed, taking hold of his hand and shaking it. "It was a pleasure to talk to you, Mr. Stark. I'm sure we'll meet again."

He just gave her a smirk as he stepped out of her office and headed down the hallway. Then he stopped with a frown. The floor was… eerily quiet. Looking at his watch, he saw that he had been talking with Remy for over thirty minutes. Shouldn't people be coming back from lunch by now? Where were all of those badass SHIELD agents? Then there was a soft _woosh_ sound and something landing in front of him.

It was a canister. Aw fuck, and he knew what that was.

Tony turned quickly, rushing back to Remy's office. She was looking at her phone, oblivious to the danger as the billionaire rushed in and slammed her door shut. She jumped at the noise.

"Tony!" She yelped, glaring at him. "What the hell?!"

"Call your boyfriend." Tony replied as he locked the door. There was an explosion outside; the canister of whatever must have detonated, spreading whatever was in it. Remy yelped again, eyes wide as she held her phone in the hand. "Remy!"

She nodded as she pulled up Clint's number before holding the phone up to her ear. There was noise outside – another explosion – and the window of her office door shattered. Tony jumped back from the door, trying to avoid broken glass. Without waiting, he took her phone from her as Clint picked up.

"Remy?" The archer asked. "What's going on? Where are you?"

"Aw, Legolas!" Tony replied, keeping an eye on the door as he pushed Remy as far away from it as possible. There was approaching footsteps and it was likely someone unwanted. "Look, we're kind of under attack up here on her floor, so I need backup."

"Stark?" Clint repeated. "What's going on?"

"It's an emergency, Barton." Tony explained as he looked for something to arm himself with, just in case. Someone approached the door, armed with a gun and wearing a gas mask. They looked at the two in the office before dropping in another canister. It hissed loudly, white smoke billowing out of its top. Swearing, Tony covered his nose and mouth; Remy followed suit, eyes widening as she watched the smoke. "Now, Barton!"

Remy grabbed Tony's arm, gripping it tightly as they backed further away from the canister. There was nothing they could really do. Both were trapped as the gas masked figure stood there menacingly. Remy held her breath as the smoke filled the room, looking up at Tony for help. The billionaire kept his attention on the figure at the door, blindly reaching for Remy to push her behind him.

Then Remy coughed suddenly, removing her hand from her mouth. She didn't mean too, but she breathed in some of the smoke. It smelled like lavender for some reason, which was weird, but it was also making her sleepy. She covered her mouth and nose again with one hand while the other gripped the back of Tony's jacket as she started to slump against him. God, she wanted to fall asleep right then and there. And as her knees started to buckle and she sank to the floor, she was pretty sure she would.

"Remy, no, stay awake." Tony ordered, but his voice was muffled and distant sounding. He was starting to feel it too. Remy was slumped back against the wall behind him and he had to be careful as he dropped to his knees, not wanting to somehow fall back into her.

Another gas masked figure approached; the other turned to face them. For a moment they stood there, heads making small movements as they apparently chatted. Tony watched this as everything began to blur and darken. Remy was still behind him, her grip loosening as Tony began to feel heavy and fuzzy.

It didn't take long for everything to go dark for him.

* * *

**Closing Note: **aw snap. suspense. Only not?

Let me know whatcha think. :3


	54. Chapter 54

**Author's Note: **Sorry about the slow updates. Work was busy during the holidays and now I got a promotion at work so I'll be working like, 40 hours now. And I had some writer's block with parts of the story. I actually re-wrote this chapter completely because I was not happy with how it turned out, but I like this one much better, and I'm finally settled with the direction this story will be going. Now I just have to _write_ the chapters.

So enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Four**

Everything was fuzzy. Remy's head felt heavy as things started to come clearer. What the fuck happened? Tony had rushed back into her office, then there was some noise – an explosion, actually - some weird smoke, and then…

Oh _fuck_. Remy sat up fast. Except her stomach didn't like that all. She leaned to the side, throwing up her lunch and whatever else was in her stomach. Suddenly she felt awful, not better, and then there was a hand on the back of her neck, collecting her hair and pulling it back as she vomited.

"Fuck, get her a bottle of water." Someone said. "And a bowl. Saltines, too. And someone needs to clean this up."

Remy jerked away from the hands, but they were still holding her hair. They accidently pulled her hair, causing her to cry out. Then the person was pulling her back by her shoulders, trying to force her to lean back. She reached for something to grab, not wanting to be touched. Her hands grabbed hold of something thin and metal, but it seemed secured to something.

"Remy." The voice said firmly; she finally looked in the direction of the voice. "Babe, relax. You're safe."

She squinted, vision coming into focus after a few seconds. Then there was relief when she saw who it was. Clint was standing there, looking more worried than Remy had ever seen him. She tried to throw herself at him, but still felt tired and woozy. Instead she managed to grab the front of his shirt and jerk him forward, causing him to stumble and nearly fall on the bed.

"Woah, babe, it's okay." He told her as he gave her a hug. "You and Stark were drugged, but you're okay. Doc gave you the all clear."

"What… wait, what happened?" She asked, voice slurring a bit as she clung to him. "Tony?"

"He's fine." Clint told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "He's awake and talking to the Director. Doc let you sleep it off after checking you and the baby over." He pulled back slightly as a nurse approached, bringing a bowl and bottle of water. "Here, rinse and spit. And then you can have some saltines, okay?"

She did as she was told, rinsing out her mouth as another nurse came in to clean up the mess. Clint pulled away and emptied out the bowl before returning to her, setting it on the bedside table. She immediately grabbed ahold of him, desperately wanting to cling to him as everything began to really come back into focus.

"What happened?" She asked wearily, gripping his t-shirt tightly. "There was Tony and smoke…"

Clint sighed. "You and Stark were the only ones on the floor. The attackers managed to claim the floor was evacuated due to a small fire, so no one else was allowed up while they attacked."

Remy nodded slowly, frowning. She was slowly starting to feel normal again as she laid back against the pillows on the bed, still keeping a grip on his t-shirt, though it wasn't as tight as before. "Who's they?"

He hesitated, not wanting to answer. The silence kind of clued Remy in and she tightened her grip once more, not wanting to have him too far away from her. Clint stayed next to the bed, and he felt Remy tense up when the door opened suddenly. Both Fury and Tony walked in. The billionaire had an icepack to his cheek while the Director seemed to be living up to his name. Remy wasn't sure she had ever seen him look that pissed off before.

She wasn't sure what to say, so instead she looked at Tony. "What happened to you?"

"Got into a fight with one of our rescuers." He told her as he took a seat next to her bed. "I was awake enough to try and keep them away from you, but it didn't work." He gave her a quick look over. "Do you feel as terrible as you sound?"

"Oh, ha ha. Thanks." She grumbled. Then she frowned. "You were trying to protect me?" Tony nodded. She had to admit, she was touched by the gesture and almost wanted to cry, but she managed not too. "You kept them from taking me?"

"I protected you from SHIELD as well, so uh, don't get too excited." He replied. "I didn't take anyone out, so don't go all weird and get some crush on your hero or whatever."

Remy resisted saying something else, instead she looked at all three men in the room. Well, now she wanted to know what happened. "Can I get an explanation now? Because you guys are starting to freak me out."

"Chimera Order was involved, but I'm sure you figured that out already." Fury told her. Remy nodded slowly, because really, she knew it when Clint didn't answer her question about it. "They managed to keep everyone off your floor, saying there was a fire, so while a team of them kept people from coming up there, it was two of them who attacked your office. They seemed to want to knock you out to take you, but I don't think they were planning on Stark being up there." He glanced at the billionaire who looked a bit smug. Fury just rolled his eye before looking back at his agent. "I think they figured having Stark in their clutches was just as good, because it's possible they were planning on taking both of you, but the phone call to Barton alerted us that something was _very_ wrong. We got a team mobilized and stopped these freaks before they could get close enough to touch you."

"And then someone punched Tony?" Remy added, raising an eyebrow. Clint was grinning, looking quite amused while Tony just grumbled something. Fury looked like he'd rather be somewhere else than in the room with them.

"Stark wasn't as heavily drugged as you were, and from what I was told, he lunged at one of the agents going for you, Black." Fury continued, glancing once again at the billionaire. "He managed to land a punch on Rumlow before being hit back. No one was sure what they drugged you two with, so once Stark was out they brought you down here."

Remy nodded slowly, chewing on her bottom lip as she let it all sink in. They were getting daring again, and after this, they likely wouldn't surface again for a while. She rubbed her face, the effects of the drug starting to hit her again. All she wanted to do was go to sleep now and ignore all of this mess, but she knew it wouldn't work. This was very real and happened right then and there.

This building was supposed to be _safe_.

But those people got in and nearly kidnapped her _and_ Tony.

She looked down at her belly, placing her hand on it before looking back up at the Director. "How… how can I be sure I'll be safe here?" She asked quietly. "They're clearly desperate at this point if they risked coming into a building filled with agents."

Fury crossed his arms over his chest. "I can't guarantee your safety, Black." He told her. "Just like I can't guarantee any other agent's safety. The most anyone can do with a situation like this is take precaution."

"Precautions, right. Tried that already." Remy muttered, rubbing her face. She sighed and looked at the Director. "What can I do at this point? I'm pregnant, terrified, and starting to wonder if I need to run away to Europe or Asgard or something to escape this nonsense."

"That's a little dramatic." Tony chirped from his chair, not looking up from his phone. Remy chucked her pillow at him, hitting him in the face. "Okay, now that was also dramatic."

"Stark." Clint warned, taking the pillow back and putting it behind Remy. "Don't start. We're all on edge. Now, I appreciate you helping her, but if you're not dying, you should probably go. I'm going to take her home as soon as the doctor allows it."

"Harsh, Legolas." Tony replied as he set his phone down to fix his hair. "I'll see about improving the security system in your apartment, how about that? Make it more secure. If these guys got into here, then they could probably find out where you live. And if they know that, then they will likely strike again."

"Tony." Remy sighed, rubbing her face. "I don't want to think about that."

"Well, welcome to the world of crazy shit happening." Tony retorted, leaning back in his seat. "Your memory is a goldmine for these people. You have some of SHIELD's secrets stored in there for some reason, as well as the information this militia wants from the past, right? They want you alive and will do whatever it takes to get it."

"Tony…"

"Look, why don't you come back to Malibu with me?" Tony suggested. Remy frowned while Clint took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze as he glared at the billionaire. "Easy, Legolas. I practically offered her a job before all of this happened, so we might just do this as a trial run."

"What's in it for you, Stark?" Clint asked cautiously. "You're not going to use her the way SHIELD is."

"I did think of that at one point." The billionaire admitted with a shrug. "But considering what's going on, I don't think that'd be wise. Instead I thought it'd be fun to have a personal assistant help me out while I designed some new suits and worked on other things. Pepper's busy running my company, you know, and JARVIS can only do so much." He leaned back in his seat. "She can buy groceries for me and bring me coffee once in a while."

"What do you mean personal assistant?" Clint asked. Remy huffed in annoyance as she sat up more in the bed. "What do you need her for? She can do more than just bring you coffee, you know. Remy can do a lot."

"Remy's also pregnant, so she's kind of limited in doing some things." Tony added. Clint was about to retort but Remy cut in.

"Will you two stop talking like I'm not here?!" She suddenly snapped, startling both men. Fury just shook his head before turning to Remy.

"Look, I don't care what you all decide to do, but make sure to tell me or Hill if either of you are fucking off with Stark, understand?" He told her. "I don't need you to up and vanish and make us think you got your ass kidnapped for real."

"Of course, sir." Remy agreed with a nod. Grumbling, the Director walked out, leaving the three there. Now Remy looked at the two men. "Okay, let's try this all again. I'm tired, hungry, and terrified. Now, can we discuss this with me instead of you two discussing this shit like I'm not here? Because if that's the case, then I'll just fuck off to Canada when you're not looking, because I'm about ready to do that if this shit keeps happening."

Both Clint and Tony had the decency to look a little embarrassed by what they had done. Really, Remy wanted to snap a photo of Tony because when did Tony Stark ever get embarrassed. When they both apologized, she just gave them a nod before she moved to get off the bed. "Now that we're done with that. I'd much rather discuss all of this at home, okay? Tony, you are more than welcome to join us. I think we agreed this morning on pizza for dinner, right?" She looked at Clint, who just nodded. "Right, pizza for dinner. But this sort of business will not be discussed here, okay? Okay."

* * *

Remy didn't say a word to Clint on their way home. He walked her up to their place before he went to pick up the dog. Tony was picking up pizza for them, which was fine, because not having either of them there gave her a few minutes to herself. She shut and locked the door behind her before heading over to the bed to take a seat. Her mind was racing and she was trying _not_ to have a breakdown over all of this. Seriously? They came into her place of work. They tried to kidnap her _and_ Tony. They were becoming very serious now about getting her.

She sighed and toed her shoes off before stretching out on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She reached above her, grabbing the Winnie the Pooh and Piglet plush toys that sat against the pillows on the bed. Remy clutched them to her chest, sighing loudly as she kept her attention on the ceiling. Why did this shit have to happen?

Honestly, she really did want to run away to Europe. As far as she knew, the Chimera Order was only in the United States and nowhere else. Was she going to somehow be recognized by these people wherever she went now? Would she get kidnapped getting groceries one day, or when she went to the doctor's office? Hell, what if when she went into labor. Were they going to kidnap her then?

She hugged the two tighter, grumbling softly as she closed her eyes. No, everything would be _fine_. The three of them will figure out what to do. Maybe going to California wouldn't be a bad idea. Working with Tony might be annoying at times, but Pepper Potts did it for a long time and she was now running his company. Maybe Remy could rule the world.

Ugh, no. That made her think of Loki and the events of New York. She didn't want to rule the world at all. She just wanted to be safe and with her boyfriend and not have to worry about all of this danger.

She laid there on the bed until Clint came in. Lucky barked excitedly when he came into the apartment, running to his bed to grab his stuffed dragon, only to give it a few shakes before running around the apartment. Remy managed to sit up on the bed to watch him. It was kind of entertaining to see the dog drag around a toy that was nearly his size.

Clint locked the door and looked over at her. He looked unsure, as though maybe he should leave her alone for a little bit. Remy sighed and set the two stuffed animals aside before gesturing for him to come over. He kicked his shoes off and went over to her, taking a seat beside her on the bed. She immediately wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his shoulder. He seemed to relax when she did that.

They didn't speak for a while, only holding each other before Lucky decided to join in, dragging the stuffed dragon. He woofed at them as he put his front paws against Clint's knees, pawing at the archer to be picked up. With a sigh, Clint reached down, picking up the spaniel-retriever mix and holding him in his lap. The dog licked the archer's face while Remy reached over to scratch him behind the ears. Really, if they could just cuddle the dog and wish all the bad things away, they would, but unfortunately, Tony would be there soon with pizza, ready to make plans to get Remy to California safely until something could finally be done about the Chimera Order.

* * *

**Closing note: **Okay, in reality I just want a bit more Remy and Tony weird friendship chapters which is why the story is heading in this direction. I hope you enjoyed it!


	55. Chapter 55

**Author's Note: **I'm now working full time as a manager at my job. And I'm hardcore working on the story now because I really want it to move along. And on top of that I might have other stories for the MCU started. But I need to finish this one first.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Five**

"So I'm sorry for… doing that thing you don't like." Clint said as he tried to keep Lucky from licking his face. "The whole… talking like you aren't there when you're sitting right there. It just kind of happened. I didn't mean it."

Remy held Winnie the Pooh in her lap while Clint put Lucky on the floor. The dog whined softly until Clint took the stuffed dragon and tossed it across the apartment. "Well, I hate it when people do that, so thank you for apologizing." She mumbled, leaning into him once more as she watched the dog wrestle with the toy. "And… and I'm sorry that your life is disrupted because of this. I… totally understand if you don't want to come to California or anything. Or if you uh… if you want to just walk away from all this, you can. I won't hate you or blame you or anything."

Clint looked at her in confusion. "What are you going on about? Why wouldn't I come with you?"

"Because you have a life here! And when we started dating you didn't sign up to be with someone who's the target for this militia crap!" She exclaimed, tightening her grip on the stuffed animal. "So... so if you're done, okay. I won't… I won't be mad or hold it against you."

He frowned, trying to understand what she was saying. "Wait… just – just wait a minute." He said, scratching the back of his head. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"What? No? Why?"

"You're… well, it's sounding like you are." Clint told her, still frowning. "Are you breaking up with me because of all this?"

"I'm not… I'm _not_ breaking up with you!" Remy sputtered, staring wide eyed at him. "God no! I'm just saying… that if _you_ want to leave because this is too much for you then I won't stop you. Really."

"Why would I want to leave?" Clint asked. He still looked confused by this whole conversation. "You're my girlfriend who I love and care about, okay? Even with these assholes doing this, I still love you." He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "So uh, stop saying I should leave or something. I wouldn't be happier if we broke up, okay?"

"I know, but…"

"Stop." Clint said firmly, covering her mouth with his hand. "We're not breaking up, okay? We're going to be fine. Everything will be fine eventually." While she didn't look convinced, she did sigh and nod, so he slowly pulled his hand away from her mouth. "Sorry, babe." He brushed some of her hair from her face, tucking a few strands behind her ear. "Now, I imagine Stark's going to show up any second now and I kind of want to kiss you to make sure you're okay. Can I do that or is now not the time?"

"You can hold me. I don't feel up to kissing." She mumbled, leaning into him as she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm freaking out. I'll stop."

"Babe, if you stop freaking out, I'll just worry more." Clint told her as he hugged her tightly. "Because you freaking out lets me know that I need to worry about you, okay?" He sighed softly as he loosened his hold on her. "I wish I had the stupid farm ready. Otherwise we'd bunker down there until this blows over."

"I'd rather go there than California or anywhere else." Remy told him, taking his hand in hers and lacing their fingers together. "You sure we can't just go there?"

"Honestly, the roof has probably caved in." He admitted, looking a little sheepish. "I actually haven't been out there often enough to maintain the place. So it's probably just a chunk of property at this point."

Remy was about to say something but stopped herself, eyes widening slightly as she thought of something. "Hey. Okay, what if… what if I go out to California and you go to the house. I'll hang out with Tony doing whatever he wants me to do and you can take time to fix up the house? I mean… really, I'm not trying to get rid of you, I promise, but… that might work? Hell, you might even get out there and see that everything is fine, and then you can um, join me in California?"

"Now, see, you are trying to get rid of me." He said teasingly. "Sending me to the farm and all. I see how it is."

"Never!" Remy insisted. "It's just… why don't you duck out there when I head to California? Make sure it hasn't fallen apart. And when you're satisfied, you come to me. Okay?"

Clint frowned. "We haven't even talked with Stark about plans, babe. You shouldn't jump the gun on it yet."

"Oh _please_. Tony wants me out there." She told him, shaking her head. "I don't know why, but he likes me. So… if he's willing to hang out with me for a bit, I'm good with that."

Clint made a face and before he could respond, there was a knock at the door. Remy gave her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek before she went to answer it, opening the door just a bit to make sure it was Tony before letting him in. Lucky looked up from his toys and barked at the newcomer. Tony looked between the couple as he stepped inside the apartment.

"Did I interrupt something? I'm surprised you two still have clothe on." He asked as he made his way to the table, Lucky following close behind. Remy rolled her eyes and closed the door behind him. The billionaire placed the pizzas on the table and took a seat. "Let's eat. Then we'll discuss things."

Clint grumbled and took a seat at the table while Remy grabbed something to drink for herself. They sat for ten minutes, not talking as they ate their pizza. Lucky barked at them occasionally, begging for pizza, but all three ignored him (though Clint _and_ Tony were both about to hand him a slice of pizza before Remy threatened them) as they ate. Finally, Tony leaned back in his seat and looked over at Remy.

"So, maybe me offering a job to you should be a serious offer now." He said.

"Yea, maybe it should be." She replied, raising an eyebrow. "In reality, I want to know what you'll be paying me to do."

"Let her have a real job too, Tony." Clint added in. "She'll probably beat you up if you just have her like, counting paper clips or something." He glanced at Remy. "Right? And uh, sorry for speaking for you."

"Okay, that was fine right there, because it _is_ true. I'd beat him up if he just paid me to do nothing." Remy told Clint, reaching over to give his hand a squeeze. "But really, give me something to do. I pretty much do all kinds of office work."

Tony nodded. "Well, obviously I'm not going to pay you to sit around. But honestly, with Pepper running the company, I don't have a personal assistant anymore and I kind of need someone to keep any appointments I have in order, or maybe make sure I eat some real food from time to time and not just have coffee." He closed his pizza box and stood up from the table, heading to the cupboards to look for a glass to fill with something. "What do you have to drink?"

"Tea." Clint replied. "Milk. Water. Uh, orange juice? Ginger ale. Uh, Remy has this… dry soda stuff that she likes. Babe, you have any bottles left?"

Remy pointed to the fridge. "Just some vanilla ones." She then got up to get herself one. "Okay, Tony, be honest. Do you want me around as a friend or a glorified babysitter? I mean, I'm more than willing to keep you company if that's what you _really_ want, but you'll have to give me something to do so I don't feel useless."

Tony grabbed himself a can of ginger ale before returning to his seat. "I wouldn't say no to the company so long as Legolas doesn't object."

"I trust Remy, so there's nothing to object too." Clint told him as he picked up another piece of pizza. "And I don't have a say in what she can and can't do, Stark, so keep that in mind if she works for you."

"Aw, honey." Remy giggled. Clint grinned while Tony just rolled his eyes.

"You two are so gross." Tony sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway. If you're in California, Hard Drive, you might be safer because these people seem to expect you here in D.C." He tore off a small piece of crust from one of his remaining slices and tossed it to Lucky. The dog tried to catch it, but the piece bounced off his nose and landed underneath the table. He whined and scrambled after it. Tony watched the whole thing with amusement. "My place is kind of solitary. You can stay there for a bit until this thing blows over, but if you want to make it permanent, you can stay in one of my penthouses in the city."

"But what would I be doing, really? Am I really just a personal assistant?" Remy asked with a frown. "I don't mind answering your phone or scheduling things, and if I'm really _just_ a personal assistant, I'm fine with that." She looked over at Clint. "Would you transfer to one of the SHIELD offices here? I mean, if they allow it."

"I could, yea." Clint said with a shrug. "I actually didn't finish the paperwork the other day, so technically I'm still on leave. They can't stop me from moving across country with my girlfriend."

"Aw, Clint." Remy grinned and kissed his cheek. Tony made a gagging noise.

"Okay, you two are sweet, but you need to stop being all lovey in front of me." Tony complained, making a face. "So gross."

"Shut up, Tony." Remy retorted, shaking her head. "But, okay. I think I want to do this. I want to go to California so I don't feel like I'm looking over my shoulder all the time, you know? And… and this would only be until SHIELD or someone stops these freaks." She looked over at Clint. "Right?"

"Right." The archer agreed. "And if you're okay with it, I'll go out to Iowa and take care of business there before joining you, Remy. I don't plan to be gone more than a week."

"Wait, you're abandoning her?" Tony asked, trying to keep the surprise from his tone. "Thought you two were connected at the hip or something."

"We can be apart for a week or so, Tony." She replied, making a face. "And it's personal business and I'm okay with it, really. I'm the one who suggested it."

"And can I know what this personal business is?"

"No, hence why it's _personal_ business." Clint told him, rolling his eyes. "But you keep an eye on her when I'm not there, okay, Stark? If something happens to her, I'm going to kick your ass."

"Clint!" Remy exclaimed, smacking him on the arm. "It's going to be just fine. And it's not like I'm going to parade myself around and let everyone know I'm there, okay? Just Fury and Hill will know my location. No one else. So it's going to be just fine."

Clint rubbed his arm and sighed. "Sorry."

"How soon were you thinking about heading to California?" Tony asked.

Remy shrugged. "It's Friday. I'd like to be there as soon as possible."

"Gotcha. We'll leave Sunday." Tony told her. "You don't mind flying, right? We'll take my private jet. But Robin Hood will find his own flight to do his own personal business. Also, are you bringing the dog or is he going on this personal thing? I guess he can ride with us and not in cargo or something. Does he fly well?"

* * *

After Remy had a _tiny_ breakdown over the whole flying thing, and once Clint got Tony to shut up, they sent the billionaire on his way before the two got ready for bed. Clint had taken Lucky for one last walk of the night before locking up the apartment for the night. Remy busied herself by brushing her teeth and putting her hair in a braid. Once she was done, she pulled on her pajamas and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting for Clint.

He got himself ready, pulling on a pair of sweats before getting into bed. He sat back against the headboard before reaching over to tug on Remy's arm. "C'mon, bed."

"Yea, okay." She agreed, crawling under the covers and curling up beside him. She didn't know what to say, but she wanted to talk since the events of the day finally sinking in. She felt like she was crashing as she relaxed, her mind replaying every detail of what happened in the office. Clint touched her shoulder, startling her as she replayed the actual attack, the window breaking and the masked people standing at the door.

"Remy." Clint frowned. "What's wrong?"

"Today _sucked_." She told him, rubbing her face. "Really sucked. And this is gonna get worse before it gets better."

He nodded. "Yea, it will."

"And I don't know what's going to happen or how it's gonna get fixed." She continued, closing her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm gonna work on those maps while I'm with Tony. Maybe see if I can come up with something to put a stop to this." She sighed. "Maybe something will happen and I won't have to worry about this anymore. And my life can go back to normal? Maybe I can put all this memory stuff behind me and not be Fury's own hard drive anymore, too."

"Maybe that could happen." Clint shrugged. "Let's just take this one step at a time, though, okay? Let's see how California plays out, and what happens from there. Don't hand in your resignation to SHIELD just yet."

Remy wrinkled her nose. "I don't plan too. But I'm really not cut out for this sort of thing, Clint. And I think I'm more cut out to be like, a school librarian than a desk clerk for SHIELD. But… I'll deal with that stuff when it comes to it. How about that?"

"Basically, yea. Like I said, don't do something just yet. One day at a time, babe." He told her. "But not right now. You need sleep. And I'm gonna try to sleep, okay? Okay."

She made a face at him, but didn't disagree. She just pulled the blankets closer while Clint kept his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly as she tried to force herself to sleep. It was difficult, especially with what had happened earlier that day, but Clint remained sitting up with his hand on her shoulder, slowly running his fingers over her skin, and she knew she was safe with him, so after a few hours of restlessness, she finally fell asleep.

* * *

**Closing Note: **Spoiler alert but it's kind of Remy and Tony friendship for a few chapters from this point. I'm slowly turning out chapters but I'm finally getting to some kind of climax of the story. I want to work on the sequel so bad and then other things because why not.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'm sorry chapters are so slow to come out. I'm glad people seem to be reading the story! Thank you!


	56. Chapter 56

**Author's Note: **I'm slow at this now because I work full time now at my job as a manager, and I work random hours so it's exhausting. But I've _*been*_ working on the story so hopefully it gets a move on, you know?

Also, in reality, the story took this current turn because I really just wanted to write more Tony and Remy banter.

* * *

**Chapter Fifty-Six**

If asked, Remy would insist the flight went well and that she happily chatted with Tony the entire time while Lucky stayed close by.

While in reality, she was on her knees in the airplane bathroom, heaving into a toilet while Tony brought her saltines and water. This only went on for the first thirty minutes of the flight, and after the plane settled into its path, Remy emerged from the bathroom, face washed and hair in a braid, munching on the saltines he brought her. She looked all kinds of miserable as she took a seat across from him, and he made sure to point it out.

"You look like shit."

She glared at him from her seat as she munched on her crackers. "Bite me, Stark."

"No thank you. I think your boyfriend might not like that." He retorted. She rolled her eyes and ate another cracker.

"Are you always this charming on flights?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. "Or just when your passenger is miserable?"

"Always." He replied with a smirk.

Remy rolled her eyes again as she drank some water. She was grateful for Tony and everything he was doing for her, yes, but didn't mean she needed to put up with the snark. "Whatever."

Tony just gave her a smile before pulling out his phone and playing with it. Remy relaxed in her seat, placing the saltine packet in her lap as she watched him. Not too far away was Lucky in his dog bed. The take-off had frightened the dog, but Remy managed to keep him calm while trying not to freak out as well, and as soon as it was safe to do so, she left the dog in Tony's care before running off to the bathroom. Now Lucky was content in his bed, chewing on a squeaky toy Clint had bought him before the flight. Remy was missing the archer already, but she knew they'd see each other in a week and that everything was okay; they wouldn't be apart for very long.

"So I have a question that I don't think I've ever asked." Tony began, not looking up from his phone. Remy raised an eyebrow. "No, not that kind of question."

"Okay, ask your question but I have every right not to answer it." Remy warned him. "Got it?"

"Of course." He finally stopped messing with his phone and looked up. "Just curious how you got to working for SHIELD. You seem more suited working at a library or Disneyland. You know, something fun and light hearted." He looked her over. "Seriously, though. I'm sure you're great at your job at SHIELD, but… why SHIELD?"

Remy was actually surprised by his question. It was an honest, legitimate question with no sarcasm or anything laced in it. "Okay, first off? Thank you for stating it like that without adding in, '_because you don't look like an agent_' since that tends to be what people say first when they find out." She told him. Tony just shrugged, so she continued. "Second, I would totally work at a library or Disneyland, so good job there. And third? Well, Phil was the reason I chose to work for SHIELD."

"Agent?" Tony asked with a frown. Remy nodded. "Agent was the reason you wanted to work for SHIELD."

"I told you about the whole thing with uh, my father, right? When we first met?" She said. Tony nodded. "Right, so Phil took me in, kept me from ending up in the foster care or something crazy like that, which was super great of him, especially since I was kind of freaked out at first over the whole thing because he worked for a government agency, you know." She took a sip of her water. "I mean, what if this agency was going to use me the same way Robert Paterson did? That was going to suck."

"It really would suck, especially as a kid." Tony agreed. "So, what, did the holiness of Coulson convince you to join SHIELD?"

"Basically, uh, yea." Remy said with a shrug. "I figure if someone as good as Phil works for SHIELD, and that they put my father away and kept him away from me, then they couldn't be all that bad."

"And yet, look where you are now." Tony pointed out. "That same agency that you were excited to work for got you mixed up in this mess." He leaned back in his seat. "Pregnant and on the run for your life. I'm sure that's what you wanted when you signed up."

She resisted sticking her tongue out at him like a child. "Okay, don't make it sound like SHIELD is the reason I'm pregnant, Tony."

"A SHIELD agent knocked you up." He replied. "I'd say that SHIELD is the reason you got a bun in the oven."

"Oh my God."

"See?"

"Point made." Remy sighed as she leaned back in her seat. She frowned, looking thoughtful for a moment. "And really, SHIELD… they kind of threw me back to my father one day. I was brought into an interrogation room with him. It was awful, you know? I was a fucking bargaining chip for them to find out information on basically _nothing_ because they didn't do shit in the end." She suddenly felt frustrated. "You know what? You're right, Tony! SHIELD is the fucking reason I'm in this fucking mess and on the run. They're the reason I've nearly been kidnapped _three fucking times_! Yea, the Chimera Order is to blame in the end, but it didn't help that Fury and Hill and SHIELD threw me out like bait to these sharks. What the fuck, Tony? I mean, what did I do in a past life to be dealt this hand? The only good thing to come out of working for SHIELD is meeting Clint, and I'm starting to wonder if he has his doubts or regrets about it since knowing me fucked up his life."

Tony shrugged. "If he felt you fucked up his life, he would have probably ditched you already."

"Tony-"

"Just sayin'." He told her. "Also, I feel we're done with the therapy session." He pulled out a tablet. "Now, let's move onto a less frustrating subject: you living in my house. It's a big house. Pepper and I sleep on the second floor. I mostly spend time in the garage, which is pretty much most of the ground floor." He pulled up a floor plan. "You can have the other end of the house. It's close to the kitchen, has two bathrooms and three bedrooms." He enlarged the image of the floor plan, pointing to an area outside of the house. "There's a door to that bedroom there that leads outside, so Cerberus there can go outside to do his business." Tony turned in his seat to look at the dog. Lucky was dozing in his bed, the squeaky toy beside him. "He does go outside for that sort of thing, right?"

"Yes, Tony." Remy replied, feeling drained from their previous conversation. She tried her best to focus on what he was talking about. It was rather nice to be talking about something else, however. "And if he does make a mess, I will clean it up, don't worry."

"Wonderful. Now, you met Jarvis back at the tower. I'll have him programed to help you out when you need it, okay?" Tony told her as he began to tap away on the tablet. "He'll listen anyway, but you'll have authority to mute him or whatever you may need. Jarvis will even let you into my garage if like, I'm dying or something."

"And what if you're not dying?" She asked, leaning back in her seat. "What if it's three in the morning and I just need company?"

"Three in the morning? Doubt I'd be awake." He replied, waving his hand dismissively. "I mean, normal people are asleep by ten pm, you know."

She stared at him, eyebrow raised in disbelief. Tony finally shrugged, almost looking defeated since she seemed to see right through him. "Fine, even if it's three in the morning and I'm working my ass off to like, save the world, you can come to the garage and hang out."

"Thank you." She smiled. Tony just shrugged again, his attention back on the tablet.

"Yea, yea. So, uh, we have about five hours left in the flight. We should uh, watch a movie or something. I don't know. Whatever it is you want to do. Let's do it and not talk anymore."

It was clear Tony didn't want to keep talking about feelings or whatever, but Remy was fine with that. As Tony listed off the choices for in flight movies he had available, she settled in her seat, wondering if she could just fall asleep for the next few hours. When they landed, she would be in California and safe from the chaos of SHIELD and the Chimera Order, and in a week she would hopefully see Clint again, so things weren't that bad right now. She was fine listening to Tony suggest movies before he finally settled on some sci-fi film that Remy had never seen before.

* * *

"…and this is your room." Tony announced, ending the tour of the house with, obviously, the room Remy would be staying in. "The master, or I guess in your case, _mistress_ bathroom is through that door." He pointed to a door at the opposite end of the room. "And that door heads outside to a small private patio that looks out at the water, should you need a view or something. Uh. That's about it."

Remy nodded, setting her suitcase on the bed. There was a tablet resting against the pillow. Raising an eyebrow, she picked it up and turned to Tony. "What's this?"

"A Stark Pad, obviously."

"Oh, of course. _Obviously._" She rolled her eyes as she picked it up. "Why is there one on the bed?"

Tony walked over to her and plucked it out of her hands. Remy rolled her eyes, choosing instead to open her suitcase. Lucky was sniffing around the room, having followed them into the room off leash. Tony had showed them the door to the little outside area the dog could use, having had a dog door already installed by a private contractor after it was decided Remy would be staying with him.

While she busied herself with her suitcase, Tony was tapping away at the tablet for a few more minutes before shoving it back in her hands. "Here."

"Here what?" She said, looking at him funny. "You better not have like, pulled up porn on this thing to show me, because that would just be gross, Tony."

"You wound me with your words." He retorted as he reached over to tap the screen on the tablet. "It's programmed to you now, okay? It will know your name, voice, everything, so if there's something you don't want me or Pepper accidentally seeing, you can use the voice recognition setting so that it will only show you, so you know, bank statements, trashy romance stories, or your own fan-fiction that you write."

"Okay? Thanks?" She looked at him with a slightly confused expression. "Why?"

"Why not?" Tony replied with a shrug. "I figured you might get bored or something. Oh, and it also has a front and back camera in case you video chat someone. It's a newer model that I've been working on so there's only a few in existence right now."

"I can video chat?" Remy repeated, a smile spreading across her face as she looked the tablet over. Then the smile vanished as soon as it appeared. "Aw, but Clint is the only person I'd video chat with and he doesn't have one."

Tony chose to turn his attention to the dog now. Lucky was trying to get under the bed, wanting to explore every inch of the room. The billionaire rolled his eyes and reached down to pull the dog away, not wanting him to get stuck under there. Remy checked over the features of the tablet as she took a seat on the bed. Lucky woofed at Tony before he tried to jump on the bed to join Remy. Rolling her eyes, she reached down and helped the dog onto the bed while Tony just stood there, frowning at her.

"Should you do heavy lifting in your condition?"

"Oh my God." She sighed. "Don't turn into Clint. And besides, Lucky is still a puppy. He's not all that big, you know, so I'm fine."

Tony shrugged. "Whatever. Anyway. I'm going to order takeout. Let Jarvis know whatever you want, okay? Do it in the next twenty minutes." He turned to the door. "Need anything before I leave you?"

Remy shrugged, turning her attention to the tablet once more. Tony walked out after that, leaving her alone. She felt somewhat relaxed, actually, knowing she was safe with someone she trusted. The only thing missing was Clint, but it was okay that he wasn't here. They parted ways with a kiss; she climbed onboard Tony's private jet while he drove all the fuck out to the farm in Iowa. The plan was for him to fix the house up, drive to California when he was done, pick up Remy, and head back to the farm. He was fine with this plan, though he would miss out on one of her doctor's appointments.

It was okay, though, _really_. She sent him a text when they first arrived at the house, letting the archer know she arrived safely to Tony's home. Clint had promised to check in with her later that night when he reached the halfway point. And that was okay, because the two of them could honestly go several hours, or even a day, without seeing each other; hell, they could go that long without speaking. So while it was difficult for Remy to do so, since she was used to having the archer around, she _was_ capable of doing it. And since she wasn't completely alone, it was a little difficult not having Clint around to hug or kiss.

But that was okay. This was all part of being in a relationship: spending time apart. They spent time apart shortly after they got together, and then an additional three weeks apart while Clint was locked away after the events of New York. Granted, the second time was quite shitty considering the circumstances, but they got through it.

She sighed and set the tablet down, looking over at the dog. Lucky had stretched out over her pillows, looking quite content as he started to doze off. Here Remy sat, thinking about herself, while the dog was probably feeling the same way she was. Hell, he was probably feeling worse, not understanding why Clint wasn't with them or why they moved to a different house that was _nothing_ like the apartment with strange new smells and noises.

Maybe tomorrow she'd go and buy some new chew toys for him. The dog would probably like that.

* * *

**Closing Note: **Lots of reflection and mild freaking out in this chapter. Thank you for reading! I'm really going to work hard on getting these chapters out more frequently than every six or seven weeks. It's almost been a year since I actually first uploaded this story, and I'm so pleased people have been reading it. Thank you!


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